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23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WIISTM.N.Y.  MSIO 

(71«)l73-4903 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/iCIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Historical  IMicroraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  hittoriquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


□ 


D 


CoUiured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  peilicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  coulour 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  sei^^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  aJoutAes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6ti  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microf  ilmd  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
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n    Pages  damaged/ 
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□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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I     J|    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 


D 


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Pages  detached/ 
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Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

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I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~~|  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I  Only  edition  available/ 


Th 
to 


Th 
po 
of 
fill 


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be 
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fir 
sic 
or 


Th 
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be 
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Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  iti  filmdes  A  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  ii  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu^k  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18:;  22X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


2ex 


30X 


24X 


28X 


3 


32X 


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du 

tdifier 

une 

nage 


Th«  copy  filmad  hara  haa  baan  raproducad  thanka 
to  tha  ganaroaity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  end  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacifications. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  aopropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  — ^  (maaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (mL.<«ning  "END"), 
whichavar  applias. 

Maps,  platas,  charts,  ate,  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornar.  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framas  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


L'axamplaira  film*  f ut  raproduit  grAca  A  la 
g4n*roait*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Laa  imagas  suivantaa  ont  itA  raproduitaa  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  ccmpta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  l'axamplaira  filmA,  at  ar 
conformitA  avac  laa  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Las  axamplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  ast  imprimAa  sont  filmAs  an  commandant 
par  la  premiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Toua  las  autras  axamplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  an  commandant  pat  la 
pramiAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  das  symbolas  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbola  — »>  signifia  "A  SUIVRE  ",  la 
symbola  y  signifia  "FIN". 

Les  cartas,  planchas.  tablaaux.  ate.  pauvant  Atra 
filmAs  A  das  taux  da  rAduction  diffArants. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  ast  trop  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  clichA.  il  ast  filmA  A  partir 
da  Tangla  supAriaur  gaucha.  da  gaucha  A  droita. 
at  da  haut  an  bas.  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d 'imagas  nAcassaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrant  ia  mAthoda. 


rata 
> 


elure. 
A 


3 


12X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

8 

6 

tn  i 


r  i.  i 


•s^ 


25lh  CoNGRKsa, 
2d  Session. 


[  SENATE.  1 


[470] 


IN  SENATE  OP"  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


June  6,  1833. 
Submitted,  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


CZ'^^^^l  Mr.  laNN  submitted  ihe  following 

REPORT : 

[To  accompany  Senate  Bill  No.  206.] 

The  Si'lcci  Cnmmiltco,  to  which  was  referred  a  bill  to  authorize  the  Pres- 
ident of  he  United  States  to  occupy  the  Oregon  Tfrritory^  submit  to 
the  consideration  of  the  Senate  the  following  report: 

The  attention  of  the  Government  has  been,  on  several  occasions,  called 
to  this  important  subject  by  bills  and  resolutions,  througlj  able  and  eiabo* 
rate  reports  from  committees  of  Concjress,  and  in  various  Executive  commu- 
nications. We  will  not  ascend  higher  in  the  liCgislalive  history  of  this  Ter- 
ritory than  the  last  annual  message  of  President  Monroe,  in  which  he  says: 
"In  looking  to  the  interests  which  the  United  States  have  on  the  Pacific 
ocean,  and  on  the  western  coast  of  this  continent,  the  propriety  of  establishing 
a  military  post  at  the  mouth  of  the  Coliunbia  river,  or  at  some  other  point  in 
that  quarter,  within  our  acknowledged  limi's,  is  submitted  to  the  considera- 
tion of  Congress.  Our  commerce  and  fisheries  on  that  sea  and  along  that 
coast  have  much  increased,  and  are  increasing.  It  is  thought  that  a  mili- 
tary post,  to  which  our  sliips  of  war  might  resort,  would  afford  protection 
to  every  interest,  and  have  a  tendency  to  conciliate  the  tribes  of  the  north- 
west, with  whom  our  trade  is  extensive.  It  is  thought,  also,  that,  by  the  es- 
tablishment of  such  a  post,  the  intercourse  between  our  western  Slates  and 
Territories  and  the  Pacific,  and  our  trade  with  the  tribes  residing  in  the 
intcriorj  on  each  side  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  would  be  essentially  pro- 
moted. To  carry  this  object  into  effect,  the  appropriation  of  an  adequate 
sum  to  authorize  the  employment  of  a  frigate,  with  an  officer  of  the  corps 
of  engineers,  tn  explore  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  river,  and  the  coast 
contiguous  thereto,  to  enable  the  Executive  to  make  such  establishment^ 
nt  the  most  suitable  point,  is  recommended  to  Congress." 

Such  were  the  views  of  an  enlightened  statesman  and  patriot.  The  ad- 
ministration which  succeeded  took  up  this  matter,  and  it  became  the  sub- 
ject of  a  negotiation  between  the  Government  of  Great  IMtain  and  the 
United  States,  in  which  nothing  was  done  definitively  to  settle  the  claims  of 
the  parties.     This  correspondence  was  marked  by  great  ability. 

The  lapse  of  time,  and  the  progress  of  events  in  thiit  quarter  of  the  con- 
tinent which  are  unfriendly  (o  the  interests  of  the  United  States,  require,  io 
BUirdTliives,  primers. 


•♦o « ,i.i 


[4-0]  2 

the  opinion  of  your  comiiiiltoc.  action  on  the  part  of  this  Govornmonf,  ns 
prompt  and  dwidcd  as  nuy  i)o  consislcMit  with  llio  peace  and  jjood  nnder- 
standing  which  now  exists,  and  we  sincerely  hope  will  ever  continue  to  ex- 
ist, between  England  and  the  United  States,  who  Iiave  so  many  reasons  to 
wish  its  continuance. 

President  Jackson,  aware  of  the  importance  of  this  country  to  our  best 
interests,  employed  a  special  agent  to  proceed  to  the  territory  in  ques- 
tion, who  was  charged  with  the  duty  of  examining  into  its  political,  pliysi- 
cal,  and  geographical  condition.  But  the  committee  will  quote  the  words 
of  the  rnstructions.  The  Secretary  of  State  writes  to  Mr.  Slacum  as  fol- 
lows, in  his  note  of  November  11,  1835  : 

"Sir:  Ilavinar  understood  that  you  arc  about  to  visit  tlie  Pacific  ocean, 
the  President  has  determined  to  avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  thus  af- 
forded to  obtain  some  specific  and  authentic  information  in  regard  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  country  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Oregon  or  Colum- 
bia river.  In  the  belief  that  you  will  willingly  lend  your  services  in  the 
prosecntion  of  this  object,  I  now  give  you,  by  the  President's  direction, 
such  general  instructions  as  may  be  necessary  for  your  guidance  in  the  exe- 
cution of  the  proposed  commission. 

"  Upon  your  arrival  at  the  northwest  coast  of  America,  you  will  embrace 
the  earliest  opportunity  to  proceed  to  and  up  the  river  Oregon,  by  such  con- 
veyances as  may  be  thought  to  offer  tiie  greatest  facilities  for  attaining  the 
ends  in  view.  You  will,  fioin  lime  to  time,  as  they  occur  in  your  progress, 
stop  at  the  different  settlements  of  whites  on  the  coast  of  the  United  States, 
and  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  also  at  the  various  Indian  villages  on  the 
banks,  or  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  that  river ;  ascertain,  as  nearly 
as  possible,  the  population  of  each  ;  the  relative  number  of  whites  (distin- 
guishing the  nation  to  which  they  belong)  and  aborigines;  the  jurisdiction 
the  whites  acknowledge  ;  the  sentiments  entertained  by  all  in  respect  to  the 
United  States,  and  to  the  two  European  powers  having  pos.sessions  in  that 
region  ;  and,  generally,  endeavor  to  obtain  all  such  information,  political, 
physical,  statistical,  and  geoffraj)hical,  as  may  prove  useful  or  interesting  to 
this  Government.  For  this  purpose,  it  is  recommended  that  you  should, 
whilst  employed  on  this  service,  keep  a  journal,  in  which  to  note  down 
whatever  may  strike  you  as  worthy  of  observation,  and  by  the  aid  ot 
which  you  will  be  enabled,  when  the  journo^y  is  completed,  to  make  a  fnll 
and  accurate  report  to  this  depaitmtnt  of  all  the  information  you  may  have 
collected  in  regard  to  the  conntry  and  its  inhabitants. 

"  Your  necessary  and  reasonable  travelling  expenses  will  be  paid,  from 
the  beginningof  your  journey  from  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  to  the  Colum- 
bia river,  and  till  your  return  to  this  city.  Vouchers,  in  all  cases  where 
it  mpy  be  practicable  to  got  them,  will  be  required  in  the  settlement  of  your 
account  ai  the  Treasury  Department. 

"  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"JOHN  FORSYTH." 

On  the  tst  of  June,  183G,  Mr.  Slacum  proceeded  to  comply  with  these  I 
,,    instructions;  and  the  results  of  his  examinations  are  mostly  contained  in  a  "* 
^ .  memorial  addressed  to  Congress  on  the  18lh  of  Deceuibcr  last.    From  this 

memorial  we  will  make  copious  extracts,  it  being  replete  with  recent  and 

authentic  information. 


[470] 


iciif,  ns 

iiiulcr- 

:ie  to  ex- 

asons  to 

our  best 
ill  ques- 
I,  pfiysi- 
le  words 
HI  as  fol- 


ic ocean, 
thus  uf- 
rd  to  the 
Col  u  in- 
:;s  ill  the 
iirection, 
I  the  exc- 

embrace 
sUch  con- 
ning the 
progress, 
ed  Stales, 
res  on  the 
as  nearly 
'S  (dislin- 
risdiclion 
pectto  the 
lis  in  that 

politicif.l, 
Testing  to  ^ 
Li  should, 
ote  down 
the  aid  of 
lake  a  full 
may  liave 

)aid,  from 
le  Colum- 
ses  where  i 
iUt  of  your  | 

I 

JYTH." 

mih  these  ? 
allied  ill  a  I 
From  this 
recent  and  : 


DeO)ro  proceeding  further,  thc!  committee?  will  devote  a  few  rnonicits  !o 
the  ([uestioii  of  right  to  the  Oreiron  Territory. 

Thi«  question  lias  i^oen  so  ably  argued  by  the  late  Governor  Floyd,  who 
was  the  (irst  to  urije  on  Congress  the  use  and  occupation  of  the  Oregon 
Territory,  by  Mr.  F.  liayliess,  in  two  reports  to  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, and  in  the  diplomatic  correspondence  of  our  Government  with  Great 
Britain,  and  in  various  other  public  documents,  as  to  make  it  unnecessary 
for  us  to  go  at  large  into  this  subject. 

The  validity  of  the  title  of  the  United  States  to  the  territory  on  the  north- 
west coast,  between  the  latitude  of  42°  to  49°,  is  not  questioned  by  any 
power  except  Great  Britain.  The  3d  article  of  the  treaty  of  Washington, 
of22d  of  February,  1810,  between  the  United  States  and  Spain,  established 
their  mutual  boundary  line  on  the  parallel  of  42°;  and,  from  the  Rocky 
mountains  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  Spain  made  a  formal  and  full  relinquish- 
ment of  all  claim  north  of  that  line.  The  southernmost  point  to  which 
Russia  claims  on  that  coast  was  fixed  by  her  treaty  with  Great  Britain  of 
February,  1825,  at  54°  40'.  By  the  provisions  of  these  two  treaties  the 
space  between  the  Spanish  boundary  north,  at  42°,  and  the  Russian  boun- 
dary south,  at  51°  40',  is  enilrc.ly  unclaimed,  except  by  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain.  The  respective  claims  of  these  two  powers  have  been, 
from  time  to  time,  the  subject  of  negotiation  and  provisional  arrangement 
by  treaty  ;  having  in  view  the  /em/>orrt/7/ protection  of  the  interests  of  the 
parties,  while  the  final  adjustment  of  their  rights  is  left  open  to  future  ar- 
rangements. These  temporary  arrangements,  by  the  convention  of  1825, 
are  r//?//«a//;y  obligatory, until  eiiher  of  the  parties  who  may  desire  a  change 
shall  have  given  to  the  other  one  year's  notice. 

The  treaty  of  Ghent  contains  no  specific  allusion  to  the  possessions  of 
the  United  States  on  the  northwest  coast ;  but  under  the  claim  of  the  treaty, 
article  1st,  which  provides  that  all  territory,  places,  and  possessions,  what- 
ever, taken  by  cither  party  from  the  other  during  the  war,  (k.c.,  shall  be  re- 
stored without  delijy,  the  United  States'  settlement  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  river,  called  Astoria,  was  included,  and  subsequently  formally 
restored  to  an  authorized  agent  of  the  United  States ;  by  which  act  the 
Oregon  Territory  for  the  first  time  became  the  subject  of  negotiation  be- 
tween the  two  Governments. 

By  the  convention  with  Great  Britain  of  1818,  it  was  stipulated  that,  oast 
oftlie  Stony  mountains  and  west  of  the  lakes,  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
United  States  and  the  southern  boundary  of  Great  Britain  should  be  the 
49th  parallel  of  latitude ;  but  in  regard  to  the  territory  west  of  the  Stony- 
mountains,  and  on  the  northwest  coasr,  it  was  stipulated  that  any  country 
which  may  be  claimed  by  either  party  shall,  with  its  harbors,  bays,  rivers, 
<kc.,  be//ee  and  open  for  the  term  of  ten  years  to  the  vessels,  citizens,  <fec., 
of  the  two  powers;  it" being  well  understood  that  this  agreement  is  not  to 
be  construed  to  the  prejudice  of  any  claim  which  either  of  the  high  con- 
tracting parties  may  have  to  any  part  of  the  said  country,  the  only  object 
being  to  prevent  disputes  and  differences  arising  among  themsolves. 

When,  in  1823,  negotiations  were  opened  for  the  continuance  of  the 
temporary  convention  of  1818,  the  question  in  regard  p  the  title  and 
boundaries  of  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  began  to  be  considered  of  much 
importance  in  our  relations  with  Great  Britain.  Although,  previous  to  this 
time,  there  had  been  some  diplomatic  conversation  on  the  subject,  there  had 
been  no  formal  written  negotiation  until  1823,  whej  Vr.  Adams,  as  Secre- 


[  470]  4 

tary  of  State,  gave  instructions  to  Mr.  Rush,  tlic  United  States  Minister  in 
England,  to  urge  the  settlement  of  our  territorial  limits  west  of  the  Stony- 
mountains.  iVir.  Rush  was  instructed  to  suggest  the  parallel  of  51°  as  the 
southern  boundary  of  Great  Britain.  But  it  the  line  already  settled  at  4*)" 
latitude  to  the  Stony  mountains  should  be  earnestly  insisted  on  by  Great 
Britain,  "  we  will  consent  to  carry  it  in  continuance  on  the  same  parallel 
west  to  tlie  Pacific  ocean."  To  the  propositions  of  Mr.  Rush,  made  in  pur- 
suance of  these  instructions,  the  British  commissioners  answered  by  con- 
troverting all  the  facts  and  principles  on  which  the  United  ►btates  rested, 
and  they  declared  that  Great  Britain  considered  the  whole  of  the  unoccu- 
pied parts  of  America  as  open  to  her  future  settlement,  in  like  manner  as 
heretofore,  and  they  included  in  this  description  the  unoccupied  territory 
between  the  forty-second  and  fifty-first  degrees  of  north  latitude.  Great 
Britain  would  not  relinquish  the  principle  of  colonization  on  that  coast. 
She  insisted  on  the  principles  established  against  Spain  in  the  Nootka  Sound 
controversy ;  besides,  the  commissioners  contended  that  Great  Britain  had 
a  paramount  title  by  discovery  and  occupancy.  The  negotiations  termi- 
nated in  the  convention  of  1827,  by  which  that  of  lbl8  was  indefinitely 
extended,  with  permission  to  either  party  to  abrogate  it  upon  twelve 
months'  notice.  This  convention  fixes  the  actual  existing  relations  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  on  the  subject  of  the  northwest  ter- 
ritory. 

What  little  consequence  Great  Britain  attached  to  her  claim  of  a  right  to 
colonize,  and  how  little  she  relied  on  it  for  any  permanent  purpose,  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that,  during  the  progress  of  the  negotiation,  she  proposed,  in  a 
formal  projet  submitted  by  her  commissioners,  to  fix  the  dividing  line  defini- 
tively on  the  40°  parallel  of  north  latitude,  until  that  parallel  strikes 
the  northwesternmost  branch  of  the  Columbia  river ;  thence  down  the 
middle  of  that  river  to  the  Pacific  ocean.  And  at  the  moment  that  this 
pretension  of  u  right  of  colonization  was  urged  upon  our  commissioners, 
it  w.as  abandoned  by  the  British  Ambassador  at  St.  Petersburgh,  who,  in 
February,  1825,  concluded  a  treaty,  relinquishing  to  Russia  all  claim,  of 
whatever  nature,  north  of  54°  40'.  Indeed,  it  was'obvious  that  whether  the 
results  of  the  Nootka  Sound  coiuroversy  in  1790  had  been  wrung  by  Great 
Britain  from  the  weakness  of  Spain,  or  had  been  yielded  by  her  justice, 
that  neither  Russia  nor  the  United  States  could  acquiesce  "in  a  principle 
which  would  leave  their  valuable  possessions  on  the  northwest  coast  per- 
petually open  to  the  capricious  inroads  of  other  powers.  The  pretension 
of  an  unoccupied  coast  in  1825  was  not  less  monstrous  than  that  of  Ru.ssia 
to  a  closed  sea  in  that  region,  which  disturbed  the  gravity  of  the  diplomatic  i 
corps  in  1820.  The  British  negotiators  at  all  times  declined  the  respon-  ' 
sibility  of  starting  this  pretension  in  writing,  and  having,  since  the  nego- 
tiation, in  which  it  was  verbally  urged  agamst  us,  abandoned  it  in  regard 
to  Russia,  and  as,  in  its  nature,  its  existence  is  terminated  by  tlie  lapse  of 
time  and  the  progress  of  events,  it  may  now  be  considered  obsolete.  Bo- 
sides  the  right  of  colonization,  Great  Britain  claimed  by  the  right  of  discovery, 
and  especially  referred  to  tho  expedition  of  Sir  F.  Drake  in  1578.  This 
claim  is  entirely  inconsistent  with  tho  right  of  colonization.  If  this  coast 
was  discovered  two  centuries  and  a  half  since,  it  can  hardly  be  open 
to  discovery  and  settlement  now.  But  in  regard  to  any  claim  of  Great 
Britain  having  its  origin  anterior  to  1763,  jt  is  entirely  precluded  by 
the  treaty  of  Paris  of  that  year,  by  which  she  renounces  all  claim  to 


i 


[470  J 


fnisler  in 

lie  Stony 

11°  as  the 

=d  at  4iP 

by  Great 

parallel 

e  in  pur- 

by  con- 

s  rested^ 

unoccu- 

anner  a!» 

territory 

Great 

at  coast. 

a  Sound 

itain  had 

ns  termi- 

definitely 

n  twelve 

s  between 

nvest  ter 


-1 


a  right  to 

is  shown 
3sed,  in  a 
ine  defini- 
lel  strikes 
down  the 
t  that  this 
lissioners, 
1,  who,  in 

claim,  of 
liether  the 

by  Great 
r  justice, 

principle 
coast  per- 
)retension  j 
of  Russia  I 
[iplomatic  l 
c  respon-  < 
he  nego- 1 
in  regard 
e  lapse  of 
leto.    Be-  ] 
liscovery,  ^ 
8.    This 
this  coast  . 

be  open  , 
of  Great 
ludcd  by 

claim  to 


any  portion  of  North  America  west  of  the  Mississippi.  It  may,  how- 
ever, be  remarked,  in  regard  to  this  expedition  of  Sir  Francis  Drake,  that 
the  narration  of  its  incidents  is  not  only  incredible,  but  their  existence  im- 
possible ;  and,  therefore,  no  title  to  any  particular  part  of  the  coast  can  be 
deduced  from  it.  Putting  this  voyage  out  of  ihe  question.  Great  Britain 
does  not  set  up  any  title  which  has  the  appearance  of  validity  under  the 
principles  avowed  by  her  own  commissioners  in  1823,  when,  in  contro- 
verting the  rights  of  Spain,  they  asserted  that  Great  Kritaiu  would  7icvcr 
admit  that  the  mere  fact  of  Spanish  navigators  having  /irA-/  seen  the  coast 
at  particular  ])oiuts,  without  any  subsequent  and  efjicient  act  of  sove- 
rei^nhj  or  sefUcmcnt  following,  on  the  part  of  Spain,  was  sufficient  to  ex- 
clude other  nations  from  that  portion  of  the  globe. 

Certainly  if  mere  discovery  of  the  coast  conld  give  title,  that  of  Spam 
.  would  be  entirely  incontrovertible;  and  this  Government  having  succeeded 
to  her  rights,  the  question  would  be  at  an  end.  Balboa  discovered  the  west- 
ern shore  of  America  in  September,  1513,  and ''advancing  up  to  his  middle 
in  the  waves,  with  his  buckler  and  sword  in  hand,  took  possession  of  that 
ocean  in  the  name  of  the  Kins:,  his  master,  and  vowed  to  defend  it  with  his 
arms  against  all  his  enemies."  Cortez  discovered  California,  in  1526,  up  to 
about  parallel  30°.  In  1513  Ciibrillo  explored  the  coast  from  that  point 
up  to  42°.  In  the  year  1592  John  de  Fuca  discovered  the  strait  which 
bears  his  name,  in  latitude  4S°.  But  the  principle  implied  in  the  declara- 
tion of  the  British  commissioners  is  unquestionably  correct,  viz  :  that  dis- 
covery accompanied  with  subsequent  and  efficient  acts  of  sovereignty 
or  settlement  are  necessary  to  give  title.  Now  there  is  no  pretence  that 
Great  Britain  has  a  title  thus  acquired  ;  and  all  that  is  left  to  ascertain  is 
whether  the  United  States  can  establish  such  a  one  in  herself 

And  first,  as  to  discovery.  There  is  nothing  on  record  of  any  actual 
inrcslif^adon  of  the  coast  between  44*^  and  47°,  previous  to  tlie  year 
1702,  and  it  is  certain  that  up  to  that  period  the  existence  of  the  Columbia 
river  was  unknown. 

Not  to  dwell  on  the  reported  settlement  by  Hendricks,  in  1785,  in  May, 
1792,  Captain  Robert  Gray,  in  the  ship  Columbia,  from  Boston,  sailing 
under  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  saw  and  entered  into  the  land,  whicli 
had  a  very  good  appearance  of  a  harbor ;  and  which  was,  in  fact,  the 
•mouth  of  a  very  large  river,  then  seen  for  the  first  lime  by  a  citizen  of  a 
civilized  nation. 

Captiiiu  Gray  entered  the  river,  named  it  Columbia,  and  named  the 
capes  on  either  side  ;  continuing  to  explore  it  from  the  7th  to  the  21st 
of  May.  Having  fixed  its  latitude,  and  distinctly  marked  the  topography 
of  the  neighborhood,  and  the  bearings  of  the  various  headlands  around 
the  bay.  he  returned  to  the  United  States,  and  aimounced  his  important 
discovery.  Thus  was  the  Columbia  discovered  by  the  United  States  from 
the  sea.  In  the  year  1803,  an  exploring  expedition  was  fitted  out  by  this 
Government,  to  ]<enetrate,  over  land,  into  the  region  west  of  the  Rocky 
or  Stony  mountains,  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  (Columbia  river.  Every 
body  knows  tlie  signal  success  of  this  admiral)Iy  conducted  enterprise, 
which  opened  to  the  world  the  vast  regions  of  the  Up|.;:!r  Missouri  and 
Rocky  mountains,  and  added  to  geography  the  magnificent  vallry  of  the 
Cohunhia.  Ten  years  before,  Mackenzie  h;id  penetrated  to  the  VV^^stcrn 
ocean,  but  his  route  did  not  touch  any  of  the  waters  of  this  grand  basin, 


[470] 


6 


heini;  several  dojrrees  norlh  of  it.  And  thus  iliis  great  discovery,  both  from 
the  interior  and"  the  coast,  beloii<rs  to  tlie  United  States.  The  exploring 
expedition  of  Lewis  and  (>h\rke  following,'  np  the  discovery  of  the  Colnmbiu 
river,  by  Captain  Gray,  is  in  itself  an  important  circnmstance  in  onr  tide. 
It  was  notice  to  the  world  of  claim,  and  that  tolernii  act  of  possession 
was  followed  np  by  a  settlement  and  occnpation,made  by  that  enterprisinj; 
and  intelligent  merchant,  John  Jacob  Astor,  nnder  the  countenance  and 
patronage  of  this  Government.  This  settlement  and  occupation  continued 
to  the  late  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  by  the  treaty  of  Ghent  was  restored 
to  us  formally,  after  its  conquest  from  the  United  States  during  that  war. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  our  title  has  the  requisites  prescribed  by  Great 
Britain  herself.  With  this  is  combined  the  concurrent  title  of  Spain, 
which  was  derived  also  from  discovery,  settlement,  tfcc,  and  which,  by 
the  treaty  of  1819,  was  transferred  to  the  United  States.  The  extent  of 
the  territory  on  the  northwest  coast,  which  is  properly  embraced  within 
a)ur  limits,  is  to  be  ascertained  by  the  application  of  the  two  recognised 
principles  to  the  established  fiicts  of  the  case.  1st.  That  the  discovery 
and  occupation  of  the  month  of  a  river  gives  title  to  the  region  watered 
by  it  and  its  tributaries,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Hudson,  James,  Mississippi 
rivers.  &c.  2d.  That  the  discovery  and  settlement  of  a  new  country  by  a 
civilized  power,  gives  title  half-way  to  the  settlement  of  the  nearest  civi- 
lized power.  The  boundary  between  them  is  a  medium  line.  Either  of 
these  principles  will  carry  our  line  as  far  as  40". 

Its  occupation  by  our  Government  would  secure  a  vast  Indian  and  fur 
trade;  its  forests  of  gigantic  timber  ;  extended  plains;  rich  alluvions,  where 
animals  an  '  stables  assume  their  brightest  forms;  would  open  a  direct 
trade  with  ^rnia,  China,  Japan,  and  the  Sandwich  and  Oriental  islands 

generally ;  it  would  secure  its  prodigious  fisheries  of  sturgeon,  anchovies, 
and  salmon  ;lor  Lewis  and  Clarke  say  "  that  the  multitudes  of  salmon  in  the 
Oregon  are  inconceivable,  and  they  ascend  to  its  very  sources,  to  the  very 
ridge  of  the  dividing  mountains ;  the  water  is  so  clear  tliat  they,  may  be 
seen  at  the  depths  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet ;  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year 
they  float  in  such  quantities  down  the  stream  and  are  drifted  ashore,  that  the 
Indians  have  only  to  collect,  split  them  open,  and  dry  then)."  It  would 
doubtless  secure,  beyond  the  danger  of  interruption,  constant  nitercourse. 
and  trade  between  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  Oregon. 

But,  to  wave  these  advantages,  the  importance  to  the  United  Stnte.<!, 
in  a  commercial  point  of  vi';W,  of  po.ssessiug  some  harbor  on  the  norihwest 
coast  of  America  will  be  seen  at  once,  when  it  is  recollected  that  upwards 
of  J$l 2,1)00,000  worth  of  property  is  afloat  in  the  Pacific  ocean,  in  the 
whale  trade  alone,  and  which  gives  employment  to  upwards  of  8,000  sea- 
men. These  whalers  must  have  some  place  or  places  at  which  to  refit 
after  their  long  voyages.  'I'hese  vessels  now  resort  to  the  Sandwich  i^;larids ; 
but  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  colonial  restrictions  may  bo  enforced  in 
time  of  peace,  and  in  lime  of  v.'ar  this  valuable  and  important  branch  of 
trade  jnight  full  an  easy  prey  to  a  loreign  power,  for  want  of  a  port  to  give 
it  shelter.  It  is  the  duty  of  a  wise  Government  to  provide  against  such 
contingencies.  The  Bay  of  St.  Francis,  into  which  is  discharged  the  fine 
river  Sacrimenio,  is  one  of  the  noblest  harbors  on  the  continent,  and  capable 
of  containing  tlie  whole  raercanlilo  navy  of  the  world.  But  this  mai,nnfi- 
cent  harbor,  uiiforlunately,  is  not  within  tlie  jurisdiction  of  the  United 
State:^,  but  belo;igs  to  our  neighbors  of  Mexico. 


^\ 


Ill  from 
(ploring 
liimbiu 
hr  tide. 
ISP  ss  ion 
jprisin«j 
jco  and 
jiUniicrl 
lestored 
U  war. 
Great 
I  Spain, 
(ich,  by- 
lent  of 
I  within 
,">gniscd 
CO very 
I'attred 
sissippi 
y  by  a 
St  civi- 
thcr  of 

md  fnr 
,  wfiere 
direct 
islands 
hovies, 
1  in  the 
le  very 
may  bo 
le  year 
hat  the 
would 
course. 

Sfnt(\<', 
!h\vest 
Wiircls 
n  the 
0  sca- 
o  refit 
uiids; 
ed  in 
ch  ol 
)  give 
such 
3  fi tie 
pabli; 
Jliiifi- 
uitrd 


- 


7  [  470  ] 

jotwrcn  tliis  point  and  the  inontli  of  the  rolnmhia  rirrr.  the  roast  pre- 
sents i'U  ahnost  unifoiin  straig)it  line,   in  which  fi'W  liendhmds  or  indnita- 
lipis  appear.     ]\lr.  Siacuni  says  :  "  Frorn  the  map  of  the  coinitry,  which  I 
ispill  bo  al)le  to  j)ropnr(',  yon  will  discover  thereon  three  or  four  rivers  which 
[fall  into  the  Pacific  Ocean  between  latitude  dl^   33'  and  the  Cohnnbia; 
'thve  of  them  within  Pelican  bay,  in  latitude  42^  4'  nortfi,  are  within  tlic 
Huils  of  the  States,  but  are  not  laid  down  on  any  published  chart  of  the 
diy  : 

''  Klamet  river,  41"  33'  north  latitude,  123°  51'  west  longitude. 

"West  Rogues  river,  42^  26'  north  latitude,  124°  14'  west  longitude. 

"  West  Cowis  river,  43°  31'  north  latitude,  124°  4'  west  longitude. 

"  West  Umpcpia,  43°  50'  north  latitude,  123°  50'  west  longitude. 

'=  liast  year  the  .schooner  Cadboiough  enierod  two  of  these  with  8  feet  of 
Witer.  '  Pelican  bay'  is  a  good  harbor.  From  the  inlbrniation  of  Mr. 
loung  and  other  trappers.  I  am  told  thut  the  Umpqua  is  nearly  the  same 
sze  as  the  Wilhamit.  The  lauds  are  equally  good  and  well  timbered.  The 
Tver  called  'Rogues,'  or,  sometimes,  Smith's  river,  abounds  in  the  finest 
tmber  west  of  the  Rocky  mount.iins  ;  and  it  may  be  fairly  estimated  that 
tie  valleys  of  these  rivers,  certainly  within  the  jurisdiction  of  i!ie  Ignited 
ftati^s,  contain  at  least  l'l,(!()0,t)l:0  acres  of  land,  of  first  quality,  equal  to 
tie  best  lands  of  Missouri  and  Illinois.  In  cniering  the  Columbia  river 
30U  find  a  bar  extending  across  tlie  channel  (two  miles  in  width)  from  the 
lorlh  to  the  south  shoals.  The  shoalest  water  on  the  bar  is  4X  fathoms, 
hit  the  prevailing  winds  in  winter  are  from  the  westward,  aiTd  the  en- 
trance lies  exposed  to  the  swell  of  the  Pacific  ocean.  The  bar  breaks  with 
I  wind  of  any  force,  if  from  the  west  of  north  or  south  and  west  of  east. 
\t  present,  vessels  are  often  kept  several  days  waiting  for  clear  weather  to 
'un  in,  having  neither  beacons,  buoys,  or  lights  to  guide  them  when  near 
he  shoal.  This  delay  woidd  be  obviated  in  a  great  measure  if  the  coast 
vas  surveyed  and  properly  lighted."  Mr.  Baylies,  in  his  report,  says:  "  It 
has  been  very  justly  said,  'that  it  is  a  question,  at  first  somewhat  difHcnlt 
of  solution,  why  Great  Britain  should  have  been  so  extretnely  anxious  to 
wrest  from  the  United  Stiites  a  territory  comparatively  of  limited  extent, 
and,  considering  tjje  vastdomnins  in  Asia,  Africa,  Australia,  and  Amcricn, 
wiiich  she  has  yet  to  populate  and  reclaim,  comparatively  of  little  value;' 
yet  a  little  reflection  will  suggest  the  answer. 

"  Groat  Britain  -adopts  no  plans  of  policy  from  caprice  or  vanity  ;  her 
am!)itio!i  is  developed  in  a  system  of  wise  andsag.tcious  projects,  to  check, 
to  influence,  and  to  control  all  nations  by  means  of  her  navy  and  her  com- 
merce. In  prosperity  and  in  adversity,  in  peace  and  in  war.  she  has  pur- 
sued this  grand  desisfn,  with  an  enera:y  and  perseverance  which  does  infi- 
nite credit  to  her  politicalfagacity  and  foresight." 

The  day  is  not  far  distant  when,  by  the  openingof  a  direct  communica- 
tion between  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans  across  the  Is'dimns  of  Dari- 
cn,  the  whole  trade  of  t!ic  eastern  hemisphere  will  be  changed.  Tho  pol- 
icy of  Great  Hritain  is,  therefore,  to  possess  the  strongest  points  of  control 
on  this  grand  thoroughfare  of  co;nmorce,  as  well  as  over  every  other  com- 
mercial thoroughfare  of  the  world.  One  of  these  points  she  already  pos- 
sesses  in  Jamaica,  and  the  Sandwich  islands  is  tol)e,  nay,  is,  tjie  other  point 
of  her  grasping  ambition.  These  islands  lie  on  that  par:d!el  of  latitude 
which  vessels  si-ek  in  the  pasMige  to  China,  Manilla,  and  B.itavia,  from  the 
west  coast  of  America,  in  order  to  get  the  force  of  the  trade-winds,  whicli 


[470] 


8 


are  strongest  between  18°  and  24°  of  north  latitude.  They  lie  as  directly 
in  the  route  to  China  as  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  for  ships  from  lh«  east- 
ward. They  would,  therefore,  become  of  immense  value  as  a  commercial 
depot,  and  in  time  of  war  they  would,  in  a  military  point  of  view,  be  as 
important  as  the  Mauritius  in  the  Indian  ocean.  It  maybe  assumed,  then, 
that  these  islands  will  fall  in»o  the  hnnds  of  the  British  Government;  for 
when  has  she  neglected  her  foreign  policy  '/  Ldok  at  her  possessions  in  ilie 
East — Mulia,  Gibraltar,  the  key  to  (he  commerce  of  the  Mediterranean,  St. 
Helena,  Ascension,  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the  Mauritius,  Singapore,  (which 
effectually  commands  the  straits  of  Malacca,)  the  Benin  tslands.  lying  off 
the  coast  of  Japan  ;  and  she  only  lacks  the  Sandwich  islands  and  the  brau- 
tiful  river  Columbia,  and  the  territory  watered  by  its  numerous  trihntaries, 
to  command,  by  her  mighty  means,  the  commerce  of  the  whole  world. 

Independent  of  the  importance,  in  a  commercial  point  of  view,  of  this 
territory  to  the  United  States,  it  assumes  va^t  importance  when  we  con;3 
to  consider  the  influence  it  is  to  have,  in  the  hands  of  the  British,  over 
the  fierce  and  warlike  tribes  of  Indians  on  the  nor'h,  and  from  our  western 
frontier  to  tlie  Pacific  ocean.  On  this  point,  we  hope  to  be  pardoned  for 
the  long  extract  from  Mr.  Slacum's  memoir.  "When  speaking  of  the  Hud- 
son Bay  (Jomp.uiy — 

"  I  shall  endeavor,"  lie  says,  ''to  point  out  the  enterprise  of  this  company, 
and  the  inflneiicc  they  excrci.se  over  the  Indian  tribes  within  our  acknow- 
ledged lines  of  territory,  and  their  unauthorized  introduction  of  large 
quantities  of  Briti.sh  goods  within  the  territorial  limits  of  the  United  States, 
Fort  Vancouver,  the  principal  depot  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  west 
of  the  Rocky  mountain?,  stands  on  a  gentle  acclivity,  four  hundred  yards 
from  the  shore,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Columbia,  or  Oregon  river,  about 
100  miles  from  its  mouth.  The  principal  buildings  are  enclosed  by  a  picket 
forming  an  area  of  750  by  4.50  li^et.  Within  the  pickets  there  are  thirty- 
four  buildings  of  all  descriptions,  including  oflicers'  dwelling  houses,  work- 
shops for  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  wheelwrights,  coopers,  tinners,  &c.,  all  of 
wood,  except  the  magazine  for  powder,  wliich  is  of  brick.  Outside,  and 
very  near  the  fort,  there  are  forty-nine  cabins  for  laborers  and  mechanics, 
a  large  and  commodious  barn,  and  seven  buildings  attached  thereto;  a  hos- 
pital and  large  bnat-house  on  the  shore,  six  miles  above  the  fort.  On  the 
north  bank  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  have  erected  a  sawmill  on  a  never- 
failing  stream  of  water  that  falls  into  the  Columbia;  cuts  2,000  to  2,400 
feet  of  lumber  daily;  employs  twenty-eight  men,  chiefly  Sandwich  Islanders. 
and  ten  yoke  of  oxen  ;  depih  of  water  four  fathoms  at  the  mill,  where  the 
largest  ships  of  the  company  take  in  their  cargoes  for  the  Sandwich  Lslands' 
market. 

"  The  farm  at  Vancouver  contains,  at  this  time,  about  3,000  acres  of  land, 
fenced  and  under  cultivation,  employing,  generally,  one  hundred  men, 
chiefly  Canadians  and  half-breed  Iroquois".  The  mechanics  are  l<:uropean. 
These,  with  the  factors,  traders,  clerks,  and  domestics,  may  be  estimated  at 
thirty.  The  laborers  and  mechanics  live  outside  the  fort  in  good  log  cabins; 
two  or  three  fjiinilies  generally  under  one  roof;  and  as  nearly  every  man 
has  a  wife,  or  lives  with  an  Indian  or  half  breed  woman,  and  as  each 
family  has  from  two  to  five  slaves,  the  whole  number  of  persons  about 
Vancouver  may  be  estimated  at  750  to  800  souls.  The  police  of  tho  estab- 
lishment is  as  strict  as  in  the  best  regulated  military  garrisai  The 
men  are  engaged  for  the  term  of  five  years,  at  the  rate  of  ,i:i7  lo  .C'5  per 


'v      f 


lie  as  dircclly 
;  Irom  llio  east- 
I  a  commercial 
of  view,  be  as 
assumed,  then, 
vern merit;  for 
rsessionsiti  the 
iterranean,  St. 
rapore,  (which 
ands,  lying  otl' 
?  and  tlie  bi'au- 
011  s  tributaries, 
loie  world, 
f  view,  of  this 
•hen  wo  con; 3 
le  British,  over 
m  our  western 
pardoned  for 
g  of  the  liud- 

f  this  company, 
n  our  acknow- 
clion  of  large 
:  United  States. 
Company  west 
hundred  yards 
on  river,  about 
ised  by  a  picket 
here  are  thirly- 
;  houses,  worlc- 
ncrs,  &c.,  all  of 
Outside,  and 
nd  mechanics, 
thereto;  a  hos- 
3  fort.  On  the 
nill  on  a  never- 
1  2,000  to  2,400 
wich  Islanders, 
mill,  where  the 
idwich  Islands' 

)U  acres  of  land, 
hundred  men, 
i  are  I'juropeaii. 
be  estimated  at 
ood  log  cabins; 
i\rly  every  man 
n,  and  ns  each 
persons  about 
ce  of  I''**  eslab- 
arris  u  The 
JJIT  io.;C;?5per 


3rS; 

Izens  of  the  ITnlted  Slates  witliin  our  acknowledged  lines'of 7erri"t"ory 
^t  year  they  met  a  powerful  opponent,  in  the  agent  of  this  foreiga 


T 


^ 


Bncareti  O/^  \ 

Forrestfis  /W"   "\  ^^ 


«'"''''■ 


"^pso^^^^ 


125' 


120' 


BabioAl't .  ^ 


N 


La n (Id ra  J^?^'^^ a 31. c  e    !  /'.?, /^c-  d^nL 


v^ 


soil 


I/; 


'^§l'i>rf  J-ssiiifitoit 


Uawkfsbiiiy  I. 


XlMl  L 

Stuarts  I 


'^luzecnoi. 

c    A   X    E    D     o    :n^    I    A 


'•^ti/.t/u'/itiiis  '^ms^/*^ 


.V//. 


"^a 


M 


Ft.  George 


:,o" 


ir/ 


frgil 


til 


Moos 
I'm  tiin-rr 


S'j 


,'ii. 


\ 


<i>'OW„,, 


.Chikottuft.fcL. 


'j(a.u(iis  ra. 

B 


UfFI 


Calxa'lsi. 


■Smith's  liili't 


^7" 


-^antjuil 


•■^' 


.>i 


'"'''/. 


M'a 


Qua  Ara  i^  VjUli^kf^'S  I.     ^^ 
\uotka  J 


O 


•^^ 


r.'/vwi'M 


■^^  . 


Di'siniclion  I  or 


?>■ 


J't'ssi'Mioii  Sit. 


# 


"'«"'i^ 


s 


aiLAip 

of  the 


'.'"■SX 


L    i'/. Jl/?lrtilllt|^^«^■ 
hiuksdlUl  >m 

'Mill  -    , 


^v 


O"^ 


0'" '   /  ,  ^^^ 


120" 


115" 


no 


lo:. 


I  Lessex  Slave  fort 


1,     A     K     E 


Ala  (Yoss  F^ 


^ 


K.lat 


la 


iPi'iJ' 


^> 


fseavf 


'  .    4>  ■]      /^ 

Ft.  ASSUlfiDOllM    /  si 


.nif" 


..vjio.<  ■ 


1>« 


ll^ 


^r 


.„v^^- 


Gforge 


y-"*^. 


\1!/A- 


Cm 


■m0^ 


.,^  Q"'^.,."; 


Moose  L 
ibenv  M 


''111, 


f 


J> 


lEon 


~  -^aiuiuil 


Sod 


"""'^j 


,((,>^' 


,# 


Mend 


'^<f,i 


,.r 


/Eduuiutou 


T« 


^Gi!i]k-g-« 


>riirriel. 


Poi 


"UM 


nt 


kOretMi  L.&Ft. 


^Pftican  L. 


^^t^  Stinking  L. 


\  ^'^^asptns  ot  Rocky  Mf  So. 


i  Ui'iin's  Uo. 


ManitoL. 


Beaver  U 


4V 


Minehester 


ii'He  I.. 


X 


s 


iockv  in»*> 


BiiWi 


i{ 


«rt<  Jim 


►  Ft.  Pitt 


'W 


CniltoiJ  H 


^.Branili 


Boat  Encamp  { 
Snow  Ml) 


<^oinmQieey 
i  3oulj 

^^iii^^\Jti  Uooker 


[rprpau 


1 1:>.  700 , 


■^nffaloe  L. 


T 


J/i'f/n' 


S    ^. 


mL 


m 


torn, 


nil-. 


McQtasl. 


\ 


llj.an 


Ja 


rn 


^'  ,=  n.  otaui 

liollv         fiuckland 


[)n'//.»  ivse 


S     K      AT      C     ^I     A     W    A     N 


/Vy. 


1    ^l-aK/JOWw/,^ 


l/V/**'!*' 


fav 


j-r  fi- 


^-t;*. 


Jsiioush  waal^. 


i5»ii/',,' 


r/jtiMi 


l^ 


>• 


:X 


,i?^ 


<9 


ifrppci'  Jmnr  L. 

Flat  Bow  L.       ?%; 

.   -.i.  ••- ^  ■"/„>■'■'  ^ 


sv* 


y^s      '  jToimccoPl'>\ 


>m/r:. 


^«p* 


w^// 


Vi. 


O 


O 


^■'^ 


i?. 


#■ 


.^^ 


.#'%   f         # 


I  hijupson's  RiipiiLi. 


Mil 


^0 


'tf^\A$        I'olconit 
'>y  (Itvnt 


'■■■■   f 

^Rsi  il      T     O 

'riests  leap  (        n^       -ff 


^\Kiit/cs/>elnif, 

■4-.  ' 


N 


■i)'"^  :%v 


^i^U 


p^/, 


% 


'■■'■!ik. 


-?t^^ 


•  i»>T:" 


Mediiine  h. 


Ct. 


<'  K-^. 


,v^^':^'"^' 


WXJ{. 


'.*o. 


# 


V 


''^'3'^^5^'^^^' 


% 


~^J:'licnu     V  vv^^^i^^^       ^"^iJrL'm-n,,,. ' 


ViH'  or 


1% 


Mu/ 


^'■'^''i/rtix 


N"*' 


.-5.. 


"^. 


— ^ 


1^ 


4W   « 
.1 


10" 


MAIP 

of  tlie 

WIVITJMJD    ^TAIHES 

TERRITORY  OF  OREGON 

West  of  tlie  Rocky  ^lountaius  , 

Exhibiling  the  vaiioiis  Trading  Depots  or  Forts 
occupied  by  tlie  British  Hudson  Bay  Company,  con  - 
-nected  with  tlie  Western  and  northwestern  }\ir  Ihide. 


('.  Di^iiiiiu'iu  tnii'iLm 
COluiiamlJI 
.,    riMimm     '-.a 

C.LooktHL 

m 


0^ 


^f.  Foul 


'onio  H. 


Coiiipiicii  in  the  Bureau  of  Topogmpliival 
lUujineers.from  tlie  latci^t  autlwriaes,  under 
the  diredion  of  Col.  J.J.Abert.  by 
Wash:  Hood. 

1838. 

JLII.Stunsluur  del. 


7?  J 
( .  PerfL-OflM 

Sri  /.s7A'<i)i||^vv- // 

n 


^ 


V..' 


^ 


^ 


n 


The  proloiiiinuon  oC  the  49'J'  ptiiallel  oC larinnie  Doiii   the  Koefiy 
Mountiun.s-  to  the  /'tieiHc  hos  heeii  (i.ssiitiied  iis  the Sortherii  Jloainhiiy 
o/'i/ee  I/.Sfiite.s-  po.sscs.'iioiis  on  the  JV.W-  ootiM,  in  io/t.\;i/iience  of 
the  t'olhmiiitf  e.vrract t)om  the  HonJlllays  letter  tv  .W: CaUatiii 
(huettJuiu'l;*'.''JHM>'.fseeJ)oc.l9i>.20*f*Cotuj.J.sessJio:orJi.)Yoit  are 
then  authoriseif  to  propo.se  the  auiiultiientofthe  thud  artide  of  the 
Conirntion  tU'JHJS,  niui  the  extension  of  the  line  on  the  parallel  of 
lihthim  theea.itern  .side  of  the  StonyMonntain.t,  ul.ere  it  note" 
'■rnunates.  to  ttie  /'aeiticthean  as  (he  pennanent  houndtiry" 
'httveen  the  territories  of  the  two  powers  in  that  ijiuuier.'jhis  is  ' 
ouruhiniatnm  and  so  you  may  announce  it '  0^^\ 

Th-I'osts  oftheJIritishHiulson'sMay  Company  are  nuiiked  f/ais 


125" 


tpiu'iittiiii'Um 
Liiiid)iit,  K^ 

,     i'l.AtHmi       -^a 


j? 


i^' 


-  S'''''' 


'r'' 


illinunLi 


^ 


r^SL-Siy^l 


,j)^V., 


cv«i.S'« 


>,   '""■"^^  s..'""- 


k-'-v 


^'fMau/     ^ 


^'^Z 


i^'tiaicoQjf 


^V. 


>>■> 


<'/-j: 


■Oz. 


"ch 


no 


10  :'i) 

'■'• — ,i-..-r--TT-ii n'.rr  rl 


SOAI.KS  . 


i..„,,..,, .  .,,„.„..^..,-„„.... - — 


"  ■^-■1—1. — f. — T —  I, CiUiViipliii  Mill's 


10 


,10  10 

-  ^ T! 1"- TTiLa— 


00   ,.  ,,    , 

nasi  SliUllIC  Miles 


10  r> 


•* 


[l 

arptJ 
in  th 
warn 
depc 
imp< 
that 
whe 
East 
Hole 
effec 
thee 
tiful 
toco 

In 

territ 
to  C( 
Ihefi 
front 
the  Ic 
son  \: 

"I 

and  i 

ledge, 
quanl 
Fort 
of  tU( 
from  ■ 
100  1) 
formi 
four  t 
shops 
wood, 
very  i 
a  larg; 
pilal  £ 
nortli 
failing 
feet  ol 
and  tq 
lartjesl 
ma  rise 

fen  cod 

chieily 

Those 

thirty. 

two  or 

has  a 

family 

Vaiicoi 

Ushi»idw. 

men  arc 


I 


«•>««        Wt.klVI'      UM       AH 


iriii^  ijoob   ifj<uirtieu  imiirnry  gvirnsoti.      M  no 
engaged  for  the  term  of  live  years,  at  llie  rale  of  ,^17  to  ,C15  per 


brin 
Th»' 
aftei 
fncli 
ciliz 
l.asi 


M  no 
j  per 


iOllCliI 


fM-incr  Ihn  result  of  Iheir  venv's  labor  to  sell  to  ^'^'^  ^'^^^V  I  nnis- tlioncrlf, 
T  so  rcr.ons  purchase  iheir  suppl.es  for  the  ^'f  P^j;^ '[^^^ ^  ^^ 
arter  be,n,  suh^t  to  the  dut.os  on  ^^c  nv..c^>  ( ;  fl>,;^^^  ^  ';;;  ^.u  ,, 
fncturo,)  they  transport^  their  g:oocls  "^^"^'  J;,'^'';,Xd  lines  of  territory, 
citizens  of  the  United  Slates  withui  our  ''f  ^^;"7.^^^^';^^^^^^^^^  ^  is  foreiga 
1  ast  year  they  met  a  powerful  oi.poncnt,  m  the  agent  oi 


:?■ 


m 


CiEi:A;i:ni' 


or       THE 


COLUMBIA  RIVER 

I'or    9  0  Jiiiles  froiiiits  iVLoiitli. 

nimin  I'lvm  si'vcrul  smveys  in  the  possession  of 
W.  A  .  S  L  AC  r M    r.  s.x. 


by  M.i'.Kwiiui  ('hi/  Kmiinccr. 


(on'illc   Hi  ye  I 


ln^ltl 


Miiiiiii  ('i>nin 


^*itwj 


m. 


1  -i     '  '     X,.. 


'^'^yy^iitf,,  ,/f,y. 


dilH'  nisapimnimail  X.XKOv  roiujxiss  ilisminc  lomili's 


.1  ■'> 


w 


.)./'■.  .>..   •  ]{).  :.S:  ,. 


I' .  :,    .\ 


VER 

out  li . 

SSI  Oil   of 


i/it:   Hi  ye  I 


Vm-\  Viincouvn 


(ri"f^ff//f  of  /'"' 


.1/11 


11'^ 


o^v 


v^^ 


/// 


* 


'Villi 


/fS 


w 


&mL 


'■■''*iiiii;)/',M{,v,iJ;         1 


J^HBIA 


'"  (vJf/'o/,'////*'  /Vj//// 

*•  ...       ■  ::^.^.m^t. 


Sc.ilc  1)1'  Milivs 


I  c.i  la  I  ,-j    I  I      -  I.        J.    .     I     .      I    .      1 


''   '-if'^^-rr^sop  ''O'^"''    ADAMS 

■•  -• j_||jj>iii'V ti '111'''  '™'''iiiiMii,„^^|.|^^|.j^^^^^,iiiL;;:^.^,^^^^.. 


larges 
markf 
"  T 
fenced 
chieflj 
Those 
thirty, 
two  or 
has  a 
family 
Vaiicoi 
hshinem 
men  are 


a  no  oinui,  ns  iii   in«  fmsi    ifj^infiteu  miiiffiry  gvirris'nn.       liic 
onyagod  for  the  term  of  live  years,  at  the  rate  'ot  ^[7  lo  j^J^  p^' 


[470] 


■^-ou.      M  no 
to  ii  1 5  per 


niinnm;  but  as  tfie  exchange  is  reduced  to  currency  at  the  rate  of  five 
shiniiijL;s  to  the  dollar,  (he  pound  sterling  is  valued  at  $1 ;  hence  the  price 
of  liibor  is  ^o  GC§  to  $G  C6§  per  month. 

"  Tradc^  i^r. — A  lar<re  ship  arrives  annually  from  London,  and  discharges 
at  Vancouver,  Cargo,  cliicfly  coarse  woollens,  cloths,  baizes,  and  blankets ; 
hardware,  culU'ry,  calicoes,  cottons,  and  cotton  handkerchiefs;  tea,  suii'ar, 
coffee,  and  cocoa ;  tohiicco,  soap,  beads,  guns,  pov/der,  lead,  rum,  playing 
•  cards,  boots,  shoes,  ready-made  clothing,  (fcc. ;  besides  every  description  of 
sea  su">res,  canvoss,  cordiige,  paints,  oils,  chains  and  chain  cables,  anchors, 
&c.,  to  relit  the  company's  ships  t!i;>t  remnia  on  the  coast.  These  are  the 
ship  ^'ercide,  the  brijr  IJuma,  the  schooner  Cadborough,  and  sloop  Brougli- 
ton  ;  the  steamboat  Beaver,  of  150  tons,  two  engines  of  thirty-horse  power 
Cifch,  bnilt  in  London  last  year.  These  vessels  are  all  well  armed  and 
manned ;  the  crews  are  engaged  in  PiUgland,  to  serve  five  years,  at  £2  per 
juonth  for  seamen.  The  London  ship,  with  the  annual  supply,  usually 
arrives  in  the  Columbia  in  early  spriuir,  discharges,  and  takes  a  cargo  of 
lumber  to  the  Sandwich  Islands;  returns  in  August  to  receive  the  furs  that 
ire  brought  to  the  depot  (Port  Vancouver)  once  a  year  from  the  interior, 
fia  the  (;olumI)ia  river,  from  the  Snake  country,  and  from  the  American 
leiidezvous  west  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  from  as  far  south  as  St.  Fran- 
cisco, in  California.  Whilst  one  of  the  company's  vessels  brings  in  the  collec 
lions  of  furs  and  peltries  made  at  the  dilTerent  depots  along  the  coast  of  the 
^iiorth,  (see  map.)  the  steamboat  is  now  IrAng  employed  in  navigating  those 
inrigniticent  straits  from  .Tuan  dc  Fuca  to  Stickcrn.  Immense  quantities. 
Of  furs,  sea  otter,  beaver,  martin,  and  sable,  can  be  collected  alonsf  the  shores 
df  these  bavs  and  inlets.  The  chief  traders  at  Narquallah,  in  47°  30',  Fort 
Eanuley,  in  49°  .^0',  Fort  McLaughlin,  in  52°  10',  Fort  Simpson,  in  54°  40' 
north,  purchase  nil  the  furs  and  peltries  from  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  and 
as  far  as  New  Caledonia,  in  the  interior,  and  supply  them  with  guns,  pow- 
der, load,  tobacco,  beads,  itc.  ;  all  of  which  supplies  are  taken  from  the 
jirincipal  depot  at  Fort  Vancouver. 

"An  express,  as  it  is  called,  goes  out  in  March,  annually,  from  Vancouver, 
and  ascends  the  Columbia  900  miles  in  batleaus.  '^'.  ?.  of  the  chief  factors, 
or  chief  traders,  takes  charge  of  the  property,  and  conveys  to  York  factory, 
on  Hudson  bay,  the  annual  returns  ot  the  business  conducted  by  the 
Hudson  Hay  Company  west  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  in  the  Cohuvbia 
district.  This  party,  likewise,  conveys  to  the  diilerent  forts  along  the 
route,  (see  map,)  goods  suitable  to  the  Indian  trade.  Other  parties  take  up 
supplies,  as  they  may  l)e  required,  to  Wallawallah,  250  miles  above  Van- 
couver ;  to  Colville,  (iOO  miles  above  ;  to  the  fort,  at  the  junction  of  Lewis's 
river,  700  miles  above;  and  to  (he  south,  (o  the  Fort  McRoys,  on  the  river 
Umpqua.  in  latitude  4:3°  50'  north  ;  and  la.-.i  year,  chief-trader  MctiOod  took 
up  to  the  American  rendezvous,  in  about  latitude  43°  north,  a  large  supply 
of  iJrilish  manufactures.  This  assemblage  of  American  trappers  and  hun- 
ters takes  place  annually  on  the  western  side  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
fenerally  in  (he  month  of  .Tuly,  and  amounts  to  from  450  to  5U0  men,  who 
ring  the  result  of  their  yen's  labor  to  sell  to  the  American  fnr-traderS; 
■•IThese  persons  purchase  their  supplies  for  the  trappers  at  St.  I.iOnis;  (houglf, 
ifter  beiny  subject  to  the  duties  on  these  arficLvs.  (chiefly  of  British  inanu- 
Vlnre,)  they  (riuisport  their  goods  abou:  1,400  miles  by  land,  lo  sell  to 
Citizens  of  tlie  United  States  within  our  acknowledged  lines  of  territory. 
Eiftst  year  (hey  met  a  powerful   o[tponcnt,  in   the  agent  of  this  foreign 


[470] 


10 


monopoly,  cliioftradcr  McLood,  who  conkl  woll  afford  !o  iiiidorscll  tlio 
AnioricfUi  fur-trader  on  his  aim  ground;  fir^t,  ly  haviu^:  llic  ;;(jvnfi- 
taiio  of  waicr  n;tiHiiuiiiicalii)ii  on  the  Coluiiihia  and  Lewis's  rivers  ior 
a  distance  of  7(10  to  81)1)  Iniles;  and,  secondly,  hy  in(r(dnciiiL,r  the  <j:nods 
free  of  duty,  which  is  equal  to  at  least  twenty  live  to  thirty  jier  centum. 
But  a  greater  evil  than  this  exists  in  tlK*  influence  the  lludsi'ii  I >uy  Com- 
pany exercises  ovei  the  Indians,  by  supplying);-  tliein  with  arms  and  annnu- 
nitioti,  which  may  prove,  at  some  tutnre  period,  highly  dangerous  to  our 
frontier  settlements,"    *     *     * 

"A  council  annually  assembljs  at  Yorlv  factory,  wluire  reports  trom  the 
different  'districts'  east  and  west  of  the  KocKy  mountains  are  read  and 
recorded,  and  their  j)roceedings  forwarded  to  f.iOndon,  to  the  Hudson  Hay 
house.  Chief  factors  and  chief  traders  hold  a  seat  at  this  council  hoard, 
and  Governor  Simpson  presides.  It  is  liere  that  every  new  enterprise  is 
canvassed,  expense  and  pVoliahle  profits  carefidly  inrpiired  into,  as  each 
momher  feels  a  personal  interest  in  every  nieasurii  adop.ted.  If  it  is  ascer- 
tained that  in  certain  'districts'  the  qnaiuity  of  beaver  diminisln's,  the 
trappers  are  immr"';„,ely  ordered  !o  desist  for  a  few  years,  that  tlie  animals 
may  increase,  as  the  wealth  of  the  country  consists  in  its  ("urs  ;  and  so  strict 
are  llie  laws  among  many  of  tiie  northern  Indian  triles,  that  to  ki!l  a  beaver 
out  of  season  (/.  c.  in  (he  spring  or  sinmner)  is  a  crime  punishi;d  with  death. 
The  enforcement  of  tins  law  is  strongly  encouraged  by  the  Hudson  Hay 
Company.  Not  so  careful,  however,  are  the  company  of  tha  territory  not 
t'ieir  own  :  on  the  contrary,  they  have  established  a  fort  and  trading-house 
called  ■  Mclloy's  Fort,'  on  the  river  Uinpqun,  in  43°  50'.  This  fine  stream 
falls  into  the  Pacific,  (but  is  not  laid  down  in  any  printed  map;)  fen  thou- 
sand beaver  skins  are  collected  here,  and  double  this  amount  brought  out 
of  the  country  adjacent,  within  our  lines;  and  the  Indians  are  encouraged 
to  ^Irap  the  streams^  at  all  seasons.  From  Wallawallah,  Lewis's  river,  and 
the  Snake  couniry,  all  lying  between  42°  and  4ti'  north  latitude,  50,000 
skins  are  collected.  The  price  of  a  beaver  skin  in  the  '  Columbia  district,' 
is  ten  shillings,  ^2,  payable  in  goods  at  50  per  cent,  on  tlie  invoice  cost. 
I'lach  skin  averages  one  and  a  Jialf  pound,  and  is  worth  in  New  Yorlc  or 
London  .^5  per  pound  ;  value  of  $7  50.  Tlr  beaver  skin  is  the  circrdating 
medium  of  the  country."  Again,  he  says  :  •'■  I  beg  to  ca'l  your  atteiuion  to 
Pu*itt's  sound,  and  urge,  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  that  this  point  shall 
never  be  abandoned.  If  the  United  States  claim,  and  I  hope  they  ever  will, 
as  far  north  at  least  as  the  49' of  lalitude,  rinming  due  west  from  tlic  Lake 
of  tlie  Woods,  on  the  above  jjarallel,  we  sliall  take  in  Piigiti's  sound.  In  a 
inUilunj  point  of  view  it  is  of  the  hig!>est  imporlanee  to  the  United  States. 
If  it  were  in  the  hands  of  any  Ibn.'ign  power,  cspi-iaUi/  Croat  Britain,  wiili 
theintln  ;nce  she  could  command,  through  the  Hudson  Bay  Ompaiiy,  over 
the  Iik'  ans  ;it  the  north,  on  those  ma^•nificent  straits  of  .Inaii  de  Fuca,  a 
force  oi  twenty  thousand  men  could  be  brought  by  water  in  large  canoes 
to  the  Sound  of  Puoiti's,  in  a  k\v  days  ;  from  tlience  to  Columbia,  the 
distance  is  but  two  days'  march,  via  the  Cowilety." 

Your  com  nittee,  d.vply  improssiid  with  the  importance  of  counteracting 
it)iv.ij:n  inlluTUce  over  the  In  Jian  trib,;s  within  oar  jurisdiction,  will  p'arsue 
the  subject  still  further. 

At  first  sight  it  would  bi-;  reas  nable  to  suppose  that  the  rugged  and  stern 
Rocky  mountains,  whosa  summits  are  covered  with  snow,  aTid  ascend  far 
beyond  the  region  of  |)erpetual  couiielation,  would  constitute  an  everlasting 
barrier  to  the  passage  of  liostile  armies  between  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi 


ige 

id 

T 


Il^ar 


(nt 


pal 


II 


[470] 


tind  (iiat  of  tlio  Columbia;  for  all  tlio  journals  and  narratives  of  the  rarlj'  cx- 
'|Vi()i(i'.3  of  this  gloomy  rc^-inn  are  re|;l(!te  with  the  siiHrriiigs  and  privations 
ot  thosu  who  made  the  passa^re.     The  aceounts  given  us  l)y  Lewis  and 
Ciarkf,  Andrew  Ilenry,  Wilson  P.  Hunt,  Ranis.iy  Crooks,  and  many  others, 
peenjcd  to  have  placed  this  heyond  the  possibility  of  a  doul)t.     Uut  of  this 
ive  shall  see.     One  of  its  loftiest  peaks  has  been  mounted  by  a  travi^ller  after 
Incessant  toil.     The  prospect  pr(,'senlina;  itself,  and  the  feelings  of  the  be- 
holder, are  given  in  the  gorgeous  language  of  Mr.  Irving: 
J    '-Here  a  scene  burst  upon  the  view  of  <  aptain  nonnevillc  that  for  a  time 
istonished  and  overwhelmed  him  with  its  inmiensity.  lie  stood  in  fact  upon 
hat  dividing  ridge  which  Indians  reo-ard  as  the  crest  of  the  world  ;  and  on 
!ach  side  of  which  the  landscape  declines  to  the  two  cardinal  oceans  of  the 
vorld.     Whichever  way  he  turned  his  eye  he  was  confused  l)y  the  vastness 
md  variety  of  ol'Jects.     lleneath  iiini  the  Rocky  mountains  seemed  to  open 
,11  their  secret  recesses;  deep  solemn  valleys,  treasured  lakes,  dreary  passes, 
ugged  d(!files,  and  foaming  torrents  ;  while  bei/oitd  their  savage  precincts, 
he  eye  was  lost  in  an  almost  innncasurable  huidscape,  stretching  on  every 
ide  into  dim  and  liazy  distance,  like  the  expansL!  ofa  summer  sea.     Which- 
ver  v.'ay  he  looked  he  beheld  vast  plains  glimmering  with  reflected  sun- 
"line  ;  mighty  streams  wandering  on  their  shilling  course  toward  either 
cean  ;  and  snowy  nioiuitains,  chain  bci/nnd  chain,  and  p-eak  if/yo/zr/peak, 
ley  inelled  like  clouds  into  the  horizon.    For  a  time  the  [ndian  fable  s(^emed 
.1  be  realized,     lie  had  obtained  that  height  from  which  the  Black  Foot 
arrior,  after  death,  catches  a  view  of  the  land  of  souls,  and  beholds  the 
vppy  hunting  grounds  spread  out  below  him,  brightening  with  the  abodes 
f  the  iree  and  generous  spirits."     This  line  of  continuous  mountains,  when 
lie  wed  at  a  distance,  every  where  seems  impassable:  the  mind  shrinks  or 
coils  from  such  frowning  and  forbidding  obstacles.     But  within  ten  or  fif- 
cn  years  passes  of  such  gentle  ascent  have  been  discovered  that  loaded 
agons  easily  traverse  them. 

From  the  valley  of  the  River  Platte,  General  Ashley  passed  to  the  op- 
site  valleys  of  waters  that  fall  into  the  Great  Bear  lake. 
The  waters  of  t'lis  great  internal  sea  are  much  more  brackish  than 
at  of  the  ocean.  He  descended  in  canoes  one  of  the  rivers  that  dis- 
ibogue  into  it,  whicli  was  15!)  miles  in  length  ;  and  on  coasting  the  lake, 
found  it  11)0  miles  long,  and  from  60  to  80  wide.  Since  then,  the  pas- 
ge  of  l!ie  Rocky  mountains  has  become  an  affair  of  ordinary  occurrence, 
d  even  p^'rforined  by  delicate  females. 

The  notice  of  this  is  extracted  from  a  journal  of  Mr.  Spalding,  who  is 
lieved  to  be  a  missionary: 
I  '•  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spalding,  and  their  associates,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitman  aiid 
r.  Gray,  left  the  frontiers  of  Missouri  about  the  first  of  ]\hiy,  183(3,  in 
mpany  with  a  gentleman  engaged  in  t!io  fur  trade.     Their  route  gene- 
lly  lay  near  the  Missouri  river,  until  they  reached  the  Platfe  ;  thence  along- 
tljat  river  to  its  fork ;  thence  along  the  north  fork  by  the  Black  Hills,  to 
ij^'dY  Us  source  ;  '-hence  to  the  Green  river,  one  of*the  branches  of  the  West- 
ern Colorado;  thence  to  the  waters  of  Bear  river,  which  empties  itself  into 
"e  Great  Salt  lake  ;  and   thence  to  the  head  waters  of  Lewis's  river,  the 
iithern  branch  of  the  Columbia  river,  on  which,  or  on  the  streams  which 
n  into  ir,  they  ))nrsued  their  course  to  Fort  Wallawalla,  one  of  the  priii- 
)al  posts  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  about  30!)  miles  from  the  ocean." 
^Mis,  Spalding  and  Jlrs.  Wliitman  are  lielieved  to  be  the  fust  white  wo- 


[470] 


12 


mon  who  htivc  traversed  these  mountains.  Thus  has  vanished  the  groat 
obstacle  lo  a  direct  and  facile  con.nuuiication  between  Mississippi  valley 
and  the  Pacific  ocean. 

13iit  your  committee  Vvill  nol  disi^ni>^o  their  fears  that,  if  the  Ignited  States 
permits  this  territory  to  fail  into  the  l'.and.>  of  Etiglaiid,  yhe  would,  in  time 
of  war.  he  enabled  from  liiat  ([uarfcr  lo  send  a.:;;aiust  tins  cotmtry  an  im- 
mense power.  With  a  well-appointed  force  mounted  on  the  il'et  steeds  of 
the  val!i!y  of  the  Cv)hmibia,  that  lorce,  wit'i  tlie  necessary  niuniiions  of  war 
and  provisions,  could  ascend  t!ie  .southern  branches  of  the  Columbia  river 
to  v.'here  thi'y  almost  interlock  wiiii  tlu;  Platte  and  other  streams  v>-hich 
full  into  the  MiL^souri  river ;  and  after  surmounting  the  slight  difficulties 
whicli  have  he^n  shown  to  exist,  tiiey  would  soon  make  their  way  to  the 
LH'eat  plains  of  the  west.  Over  tlu.'Sj  boimd!e;.s  prairies  roam  numerous  In- 
di:m  tribes,  who  wander  reirularly  from  north  to  south,  and  from  south  to 
north,  hangino-  on  the  flanks  and  rear  of  the  coui'tless  herds  of  bufTaloe 
that  perform  their  periodical  migrations  over  this  great  American  desert. 

"Some  portion  of  the  v/ilderness  along  the  rivers  may  partially  be  subdued 
by  agriculUire  ;  others  may  firm  vast  pastoral  tracts,  like  those  of  the 
east ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  a  great  part  of  it  will  form  a  lawless 
inUrval  between  the  abodes  of  civilized  man,  like  the  waters  of  t!ie  ocean 
or  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  ai.d  like  them  be  sulject  to  the  depredations  of  the 
marauder.  Here  may  spring  up  new  and  mongrel  races,  like  new  forma- 
tions in  geology;  the  amalgaujation  ot  the  'debris'  and  'abrasions'  of 
l()rnita  races,  civilized  and  savage  ;  the  remains  of  broken  and  almost 
extinguished  tribes  ;  the  descendants  of  wandering  hunters  and  trappers  • 
of  higitives  from  tiie  Sj)anish  and  An;ericiui  frontiers;  of  adventurers  p 
desperadoes  of  evnry  class  and  country,  yearly  ejected  from  the  bos 
of  society  into  the  wilderness.  AVc  are  centriburing,  incessantly,  to  swell 
tills  singular  and  heterogeni  ous  cloud  of  wild  population  thtit  is  to  hang 
about  our  frontier,  by  the  transfer  of  whole  tribes  of  savages  from  the  east 
of  the  Mississippi  to  the  great  wastes  of  tiie  far  west ;  many  of  these  bear 
the  smar!  of  real  or  fancied  injuries;  many  consider  themselves  as  expa- 
triated beings,  wrongfully  exiled  from  their  hereditary  homes,  and  the 
sepulchres  of  tlieir  lathers,  and  cherish  a  deep  and  abiding  animosity 
against  the  race  that  has  dispossessed  them.  Some  may  gradually  become 
pastoral  hordes,  like  those  rude  and  migratory  people,  half  shepherd,  half 
warrior,  who,  with  their  flocks  and  herds,  roam  the  plains  of  upper  Asia; 
but  others,  it  is  lo  be  ai»prehended,  will  become  predatory  bands,  mounted 
on  the  fleet  steeds  of  the  prairies,  with  the  open  plains  for  their  marauding 
ground,  and  the  mountains  for  their  retreats  and  lurking  places.'"*  Such  is 
a  faithful  picture  of  the  nature  and  character  of  these  lavage  and  miscel- 
laneous hordes  who  roam  the  plains  or  inhabit  the  borders  ol'  this  Sahara  ; 
and  who,  through  the  influence  of  money,  presents  artfully  distributed, 
combined  with  some  show  of  military  force,  could  be  collected,' if  necessary, 
into  one  formidable  array,  and  precipitated  along  the  wliole  line  of  the 
western  frontier,  overwhelming  it  with  death  and  destruction. 

Will  Great  Britain  fail  to  secure,  by  every  appliance,  tiie  friendship, 
trade,  and  aid,  in  a  war  with  us.  of  the  numerous  and  fierce  tribes  scatU'red 
along  our  extended  frontiers?  Her  conduct  during  the  war  of  the  revolu- 
tion, when  she  employed  them  against  us;  her  conduct  in  exciting  them 
to  constant  acts  of  hostility  during  tlu;  period  she  held  possession,  in  de- 
fiance of  a  solemn  treaty,  of  the  northwest  posts ;  the  massacre  of  St. 

♦Astoria, 


13 


[470] 


roat 
lley 

ntcs 

inie 

ini- 

of 

war 

i  V  or 

ich 

Hies 

the 

Iii- 

.  to 

loe 


Clair's  army;  of  the  'iver  Raisin;  of  Diidlny's  corps;  and  a  host  of  hkc 
niehuicholy  instances,  will  furnish  an  answer.  And,  in  continnance 
of  this  uniform  poHcy,  she  is  now  dispensing  firearms  and  presents 
from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  liie  moutli  of  the  Cohitnbia  river.  Even  the 
Indians  of  the  deep  glens  and  valleys  of  the  Itocky  mountains  are  in- 
fluenced by  this  pervadiui^  policy. 

It  has  been  shown  with  what  facility  the  Rocky  mountains  can  be 
traversed.  It  will  now  be  shown  how  easy  it  is  to  reach  them  from 
the  west.  Colonel  Dodge  left  Leavenworth  on  the  29th  of  May,  1835,  with 
three  companies  of  the  2d  regiment  of  dragoons.  He  took  with  the  com- 
mand two  pieces  of  artillery,  two  wagon  loads  of  flour,  and  twenty-five 
head  of  beef  cattle,  to  furnish  food,  should  the  chase  fail.  Ascending  the 
left  bank  of  the  Missouri,  to  the  river  Platte,  which  they  traversed,  they 
then  followed  the  left  of  the  Platte  to  its  south  fork,  which  they  pur- 
sued, when,  for  the  first  time,  on  the  15th  of  June,  after  the  clouds  had 
passed  away  that  lowered  over  the  earth,  was  unveiled  to  their  view  a 
magnificent  prospect  of  the  Rocky  mountains  peering  above  the  horizon. 
These  mountains  resembled  white  conical  clouds  Ij/ing  along  the  verge 
of  the  earth.  The  rays  of  a  gorgeou.-s  setting  sun  shone  upon  their  snow- 
capt  summits,  now  at  the  distance  of  one  hundred  miles,  giving  them  a 
beautiful  and  splendid  appearance.  They  continued  to  approach  these 
grand  land-marks,  when,  on  the  24th,  the  Platte  was  seen  emerging  from 
the  third  and  loftiest  tier  of  mountains,  pouring  its  enormous  mass  of 
waters  over  a  precipice  several  hundred  f<'et  high,  furnishing  one  of  the 
most  sublime  spectacles  in  nature.  After  spending  a  month  in  this  elevated 
and  delightful  region,  and  forming  treaties  of  peace  with  several  tribes 
of  Indians,  they  p;issed  the  dividing  ridge  which  separates  the  Platte 
from  the  Arkansas.  They  then  descended  the  last  named  river  to  the 
main  road,  leading  from  the  Sfate  of  Missouri  to  Santa  Fe,  and  the  inter- 
nal provinces  of  Mexico. 

After  a  march  of  1,600  miles,  the  corps  ai  rived  at  Fort  Leavenworth 
on  the  16th  of  September,  in  good  health,  having  lost  but  one  man  on  the 
route.  One  of  the  beef  cattle  was  brought  back  in  a  better  condition 
than  when  it  started  on  the  journey. 

Colonel  Dodge  is  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  an  army  could  march 
with  ease  from  our  western  confines  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  taking  with  it 
all  its  artillery,  munitions  of  war,  and  provisions. 

A  vast  chain  of  mountains  comr.iences  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
American  continent,  which  range  along  the  borders  of  the  Pacific  ocean, 
and  after  threading  the  Isthmus  of  Darien,  pass,  with  various  altitudes, 
through  Guatamala,  Mexico,  and  its  provinces,  California,  Territory  of  Ore- 
gon, and  finally  disappear  in  the  Arctic  region.  The  northern  portion  is 
called  the  Rocky  or  Stony  mountains,  which  rise  in  abrupt  ruggedness  on 
the  side  of  the  great  North  American  plains,  and  apparently  formed,  at 
a  remote  period  in  the  history  of  the  world,  on  its  eastern  face,  the  walls 
to  a  vast  internal  sea,  the  bed  of  which  was  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi; 
whilst  from  its  western  flanks  the  descent  is  in  regular  terraces  to  the  ocean. 
The  northern  extremity  of  this  great  spine  "of  the  world,  gives  origin 
to  some  of  the  noblest  rivers  of  the  globe,  the  Missouri,  Saskatchawine, 
Peace,  Columbia,  &c. 

The  following  extract  from  the  Encyclopedia  of  Geography,  it  is  under- 
stood, presents  much  the  most  correct  and  scientific  account  of  these  moun- 
tains yet  given  to  the  world,  and  will  not,  perhaps,  prove  uninteresting  here ; 


[  4'0  ] 


14 


ii! 


"  The  Rocky  mountains  consist,  as  far  as  they  liavo  bcon  cxaminod,  of 
primary  Ibniiatioiis,  und  ihfir  rastc^rn  chain,  the  Bhick  hil's,  of  gneiss  and 
mica  slute,  green  .stone,  amy^rdaloid,  and  other  igneuns  rocks.  Chains  of 
primary  mountains,  snparotjd  by  sandy  plains  and  volcanic  tracts,  consti- 
tute the  country  between  the  Rocky  rnoinitains  and  tlie  Pacific  ;  bnv  to  the 
cast  of  that  range  are  several  nearly  liorizontal  formations,  of  the  Umits  or 
the  rehitive  age  of  which  httle  is  known. 

"  The  country,  from  the  falls  of  the  Platte  to  the  mountains,  and  from  the 
Missouri  to  the  Arkansas  and  the  Rio  Colorado,  as  well  as  the  plains  in- 
cluded withiij  the  Rocky  mountains,  is  composed  of  a  'cd  saliferous  sand- 
stone, containing  beds  of  clay ;  ?.nd  it  is  supposed  that  the  same  formation 
extends  into  Mexico,  and  that  the  red  sand-stone  described  by  Humboldt  as 
occurring  extensively  in  the  southern  parts  of  the  continent,  may  belong  to  it. 
The  general  color  of  the  sandstone  is  red,  but  it  is  sometimes  grey  or  white. 
The  saline  contents  are  principally  muriate  of  soda,  but  other  salts,  of  bitter 
and  cathartic  properti rs,  likewise  abound.  Brine  springs  are  of  general 
occurrence,  and  rock  salt  is  found  in  large  beds  west  of  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains, as  well  as  on  the  Rio  Colorado,  and  sonlh  of  the  great  Salt  liake. 
The  surface  of  the  ground,  especially  of  the  banks  of  the  ravines,  is  often, 
also,  thickly  incrnsted  with  saline  matter.  Gypsum  is  likewise  found  in 
many  parts  of  the  country,  and  fossils  are  5i;id  to  abound  in  the  sandstone 
on  the  river  Platte.  In  the  neighborhood  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  the  for- 
mation is  covered  with  a  deposi'e  of  gravel  and  boulders,  apparently 
derived  from  the  adjacent  hills;  but  at  a  distance  from  them  it  is  overlaid 
by  a  bed  of  loose  barren  sand,  the  drifting  of  which,  the  author  conceives, 
may  partially  conceal  the  existence  of  other  formations,  especially  of  that 
green  sand  v/hich  occurs  fo  extensively  on  the  Missouri  above  the  river 
Platte. 

"  At  the  eastern  base  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  for  a  short  distance  up 
iheir  declivity,  are  various  conglomerates,  and  grey  and  red  sandstones, 
dipping  at  high  angles ;  but  these  deposites  are  not  considered  to  belong  to 
the  great  sandstone  foiiuaiion,  as  they  contain  no  salt. 

"  In  ascending  the  Missouri  from  iis  confluence  with  tlie  Mississippi,  the 
banks  are,  in  many  cases,  composed  of  limestone  cliffs,  200  and  300  feet 
iiigh,  containing  producta;,  terebratula^,  and  encrini  :  iiills  of  this  limestone 
occur  also  near  the  Chariton,  and  in  (he  same  district  is  good  bituminous 
coal. 

"  Above  the  junction  of  the  Platte  with  the  l\lissouri  arc  beds  of  sand- 
stoiic  and  dark  blue  shale,  and  a  little  higher,  adjacent  to  the  An  Jaeque, 
arc  hiiih  perpendicular  bluffs,  of  a  formation  considered  to  l)e  true  chall  . 
This  deposile  extends  for  several  miles  up  the  Missouri,  and  it  occurs  fur- 
ther down  the  river,  about  the  mouth  of  the  Omawliaw,  but  its  lateral 
extent  is  not  known.  INo  flints  iiave  yet  been  noticed  in  ttif.i/,  but  pebbles 
and  nodules  of  flints,  similar  to  those  so  abundant  in  the  valley  of  the 
Thames,  arc  numerous  lower  down  the  river,  even  as  low  as  the  Missis- 
sippi.    )3elemuites  have  been  picked  up  in  the  same  district. 

•'From  below  the  B\^  Rend  to  the  Rocky  moinuains,  both  on  lii«  Missouri 
and  the  Yellow-stone  river,  is  a  vast  format  ion,  said  to  be  very  rich  in  fos- 
sils, indicating  an  upper  secondary  group,  and  the  matrix  in  which  the 
shells  are  imbedded  rc^sembles,  very  closely,  some  of  the  green  sand  beds 
of  Europe.  The  fossils  mentioned  in  the  pap-r  are  a  llamite,  a  Ciry()h!na, 
considered  to  be  the  (injplKiM  Coliunbd,  and  llilvmnilcs  ro 


/njii'fj'isns. 


Thif 


foriutttiou  has  uol  been  traced  conlinuoujsly  over  the  whole  area  alluded 


■n 


15 


[470] 


d,  of 
ciiid 
IS  of 

3  the 
ts  or 


to,  but  the  same  fossils  Iinvo  been  brmigbt  from  (ho  bcd.^  of  thn  ?.li?sonri 
and  Yellow  Stone  rivers,  and  froni  their  sprini^s  in  the  Rocky  mountains; 
die/  have  likewise  hoeii  /bund  west  of  tliat  range. 

'•  Abive  the  Iji^r  Bjnd  occurs,  also,  an  extensive  rancro  of  horizontal  beds 
of  liijnite,  sandstone,  shale,  and  clay,  forming  hlufD  200  and  300  feet  high, 
and  continuous  for  several  days'  journey.  Lignite  is  also  found  on  tho 
Ciicrry  river,  and  along  the  whole  of  the  country  watered  by  the  Powder 
river,  in  beds  from  3  to  9  feet  thick.  This  formation  is  conceived  to  be 
more  recent  than  that  which  contains  the  fossils,  as  the  hitter  has  a  shght 
westerly  (hp,  and  therefore  may  underlie  it. 

"Silicified  trunks  of  trees  arc  stated  to  have  been  noticed  on  the  banks 
of  the  streams,  and  are  considered  by  the  traders  to  have  fallen  from  the 
bluffs. 

«•  No  recent  volcanic  production  appears  to  have  yet  been  brought  from 
the  country  east  of  the  Kocky  mountains,  with  tho  exception  of  the  pumice 
which  annually  descends  the  Missouri  ;  but  nothing  is  yet  known  of  the 
quarter  whence  it  is  d^'rivod.  West  of  the  mountains,  however,  from  the 
Salmon  river  to  b^^yond  Louis's  river,  and  for  a  considerable  distance  around 
the  insulated  mountains  called  the  Butts,  the  comitry  is  said  to  be  composed 
of  lava,  traversed  by  a  multitude  of  deep,  extensive  fissures,  having  a 
general  direction  from  northwest  to  southeast,  and  nearly  parallel  to  that 
of  the  nioimtains. 

'•Volcanic  mounds,  cracked  at  the  top  and  surrounded  by  fissures,  are 
numerous  over  the  wliole  region,  but  no  lava  appears  to  have  flown  from 
them,  and  we  may  conjecture  that  they  were  formed  by  the  action  of  elastic 
or  g.iseous  matter.  In  many  places,  deep  circular  funnels,  a  few  yards  in 
diameter,  jiciuUrate  the  surface.  For  more  tlian  '10  mik's  the  Columbia 
runs  between  perpendicular  cliffs  of  lava  and  obsidian,  from  200  to  300  feet 
hitrh.  winch  are  traversed  by  great  fissures,  and  present  all  the  phenomena 
of  dikes  in  the  most  striking  m.inner.  The  Malador  branch  of  the  Colum- 
bia flows  throncrb  a  similnr  gorge. 

"  We  t  ike  tins  occasion  to  correct  the  accounts  pniviously  given  of  the 
Great  Salt  L^ukc^,  which  has  latelybeen  journeyed  round,  and  ascertained  to 
have  no  ontli.i,  though  it  receives  two  considerable  strei-uns  of  fresh  water. 
The  length  of  the  lake  is  estimated  to  bo  150  miles,  and  its  breadth  40  or 
50. 

"  Thermal  springs  abound  along  the  base  on  each  side  of  the  Rocky 
nioiinliiins,  and  in  the  volcanic  district  I'hey  are  stated  to  vary  in  tem- 
perature from  blood  heal  to  (he  boiling  point ;  and  to  (brm,  from  their  earth.y 
contents,  large  mounds,  sometimes  of  a  pu'e  white,  hard,  siliceous  na- 
ture, and,  at  others,  of  a  substance  which,  on  drying,  becomes  pulverulent. 
In  the  volcanic  district  sonn;  of  the  springs  are  said  to  l)e  sour;  and  many 
sidphnrons  spriuiis  occur  both  in  nnd  west  of  (he  mountains,  liaslly,  pure 
sulphur  has  been  occasionally  se(Mi  ahovo  the  (jlreat  Salt  liake,  and  at  the 
ca^Mcrn  base  of  the  mountains,  but  none  in  the  volcanic  district." 

Navigators,  early  as  well  as  recent,  portray  the  country  in  glowing  lan- 
guage, and  dwell  with  delight  on  the  lovely  variety  of  hill  and  dale,  lertili- 
ty  of  soil,  noble  torests,  amenity  of  hmdscape,  pure  limpid  streau/s  flowing 
throiiirh  the  liuid  ;  biU,  above  all,  they  dwell,  with  the  greatest  satisfaction, 
on  the  soft  climate  of  this  delightful  coast.  Cook,  Dixon,  Portlock,  Van- 
couver, Langsdorf,  Kotzebne,  and  many  others,  unite  in  the  same  opinion  as 
to  the  IxMiigniiy  of  the  climate,  which  vari(\s  witie  from  that  on  the  opposite 
cuustuf  iIk!  Allaniic  ocean,  whore,  in  the  winter  and  spring  seasons,  in  the 


[470] 


16 


snmn  parallels  of  latitude,  storm,  and  tempest,  hail,  snow,  and  sleet  hold  sul- 
len sway. 

When  Lewis  and  Clarke  took  their  departnre  from  the  coast  of  the  Pacific 
ocean  in  the  month  of  March,  the  surface  of  the  earth  was  dressed  in 
flowers;  the  enihryo  hnds  had  expanded  into  leaves,  whilst  the  grass  in 
the  river  bottoms  was  12  or  IS  inches  high. 

The  following  statement  of  the  weather,  during  the  winter  and  spring 
they  spent  there,  will  not,  perhaps,  prove  uninteresting  to  the  Senate.  The 
temperature  changed  as  they  approached  the  mountains,  the  highest  peaks 
of  which  were  covered  with  everlasting  snows. 

January  7.  The  loss  of  the  thermometer  sincerely  regretted.  The  par- 
ties confident  that  the  climate  is  much  warmer  than  in  the  .same  parallel 
of  latitude  in  the  Atlantic  ocean.  There  has  been  one  slight  while  Irost 
since  the  7th  of  November.  Wo  have  seen  no  ice,  and  the  weather  is  so 
warm  that  we  are  obliged  to  cure  our  moat  with  smoke  and  fire  to  save  il, 

January  12.  The  wind  from  any  quarter  off  the  land,  or  along  the 
northwest  coast,  causes  the  air  to  become  cooler. 

.January  14.  Weather  perfectly  temperate  ;  never  experienced  so  warm 
a  winter  as  the  present. 

January  25.     It  is  now  perceptibly  colder  than  it  has  been  tliis  winter. 

January  23.     Pretty  keen  frost ;  tlie  coldest  night  of  tlic  season. 

February.     Fair  0,  rain  1(3,  cloudy  5,  snow  I  day. 

February  S.  The  feeling  of  the  air  indicated  tiiat  rigor  of  the  winter 
had  passed. 

February  24.     Quite  warm. 

March.     Fair  8,  rain  16,  cloudy  7.     So  warm  that  fire  was  nnnccessary. 

March  13.     Plants  began  to  appear  above  the  giound. 

March  15.     Plants  put  forth  their  leaves. 

March  25.     Gooseberry  bushes  in  leaf. 

March  20.     Mumming  birds  appear. 

March  30.     Grass  sixteen  inches  high  in  river  bottoms. 

Mr.  Prevost  says  that  "the  climate  to  (he  southward  of  53'^  assurncs  a 
mildness  unknown  in  the  same  latitude  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  corwinent. 
Without  digressing  to  speculate  upon  the  cause,  I  will  merely  state  that  such 
is  particularly  the  fiict  in  4()°  KV,  the  site  of  Fort  Gregory.  The  mercury, 
during  (he  winter,  seldom  descends  below  the  freezing  point ;  when  it  does 
so,  it  is  rarely  s(ationary  (or  any  number  of  days,  and  the  severity  of  (ho 
season  is  more  determined  by  the  quantity  of  water  than  by  its  congelation. 
The  rains  usually  commence  with  November,  and  continue  to  fall  partially 
until  the  latter  end  of  March  or  the  beginning  of  April.  A  benign  spring 
succeeds,  and  when  the  summer  heats  obtain,  they  are  so  tempered  with 
showers  as  seldom  to  suspend  vegetation.  1  found  it  luxuriant  on  my  ar- 
rival, (October  1, 1818,)  and  during  a  fortnight's  stay,  experienced  no  change 
of  weather  to  retard  its  course." 

Mr.  Irving,  in  his  Astoria,  says :  "  A  remarkable  characteristic  of  the 
country  west  of  the  Rocky  momitains,  is  the  mildness  and  equability  of 
the  climate.  That  great  mountain  barrier  seems  to  divide  the  continent 
into  dilTerent  climates  even  in  the  same  degree  of  latitude.  The  rigorous 
winters  and  sultry  summers,  and  all  the  capricious  inequalities  of  temper- 
ature  prevalent  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the  niouiitains,  arc  but  little  fell  on 
their  western  declivities.    The  country  between  them  and  the  Pacific  is 


i 


i 


17 


[470] 


Id  sul- 

;cd  in 
iss   in 


=!pring 

The 

peaks 


warm 


\ 


blessed  with  milder  and  steadier  temperature,  resemblin(r  the  climate  of 
parallel  latitudes  in  Kurope.  In  the  plains  and  valleys,  but  little  snow  falls 
throughout  the  winter,  and  usually  melu  while  falling.  It  rarely  lies  on 
the  ground  more  than  two  days  at  a  time,  except  on  the  summit  of  the 
mountains.  The  winters  are  rainy  rather  than  cold.  The  rains  for  four 
months,  from  the  middle  of  October  to  the  middle  of  March,  are  almost  in- 
cessant, and  often  accompanied  by  tremendous  thunder  and  lightning.  The 
winds  prevalent  at  this  season  are  from  the  south  and  southeast,"  which 
usually  bring  rain.  Those  from  the  north  to  the  southwest  are  the  har- 
bingers of  fair  weather  and  a  clear  sky.  The  residue  of  thcv  year, 
from  the  middle  of  March  to  the  middle  of  October,  an  interval  of 
seven  months,  is  sbrene  and  delightful.  There  is  scarcely  any  raia 
throughout  this  time,  yet  the  face  of  the  country  is  kept  fresh  and  verdant 
by  nightly  dews,  and,  occasionally,  by  humid  fogs  in  the  mornings.  These 
are  not  considered  prejudicial  to  health,  since  both  the  natives  and  the 
whites  sleep  in  the  open  air  with  perfect  impunity.  While  this  equable 
and  bland  temperature  prevails  throughout  the  lower  country,  the  peaks 
and  ridges  of  the  vast  mountains  by  which  it  is  dominated,  are  covered 
with  perpetual  snow.  This  renders  them  disceriiable  at  a  great  distance, 
shining,  at  times,  like  bright  summer  clouds;  at  other  times,  assuming  the 
most  aerial  tints,  and  always  forming  brilliant  and  striking  features  in  the 
vast  landscape.  The  mild  temperature  prevalent  throughout  the  country 
is  attributed,  by  some,  to  the  succession  of  winds  from  the  Pacific  ocean, 
extending  from  latitude  20°  to  at  least  50°  north.  These  temper  the  heat 
of  summer,  so  in  the  shade  no  one  is  incommoded  by  perspiration.  They 
also  soften  the  rigors  of  winter,  and  produce  such  a  moderation  in  climate 
that  the  inhabitants  can  wear  the  same  dress  throughout  the  year." 

The  following  extract  is  from  a  recently  published  journal  of  Mr.  Spal- 
ding, who  lately  passed  Irom  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbin,  with  his  wife: 

"We  left  Wallawalla  the  Gth  of  Septcn  '  r,  in  a  boat  propelled  by  six 
oarsmen.  The  usual  time  of  a  passage  douii  is  five  days.  We  were  de- 
tained by  head  winds,  and  did  not  arrive  till  the  12th.  Here  we  were  met 
by  the  warmest  expressions  of  friendship  by  Doctor  McLaughlin,  who  con- 
ducted us  immediately  to  his  house.  After  a  brief  inter^iow.  hec(  iductcd 
us  to  his  gardens,  and,  be  assured,  wc  were  not  a  little  surprised  to  see  west 
of  the  Rocky  mountains,  where  we  expected  to  meet  scarcely  the  first  lid- 
dings  of  civilization,  such  perfection  in  horticulture.  About  five  acres  are 
laid  out  in  order,  and  stored  with  almost  every  species  of  veg«  ibles,  fruits, 
and  flowers  ;  and  among  them  figs  and  citrons,  oranges,  lemons,  pomepan- 
ates,  cotton  plants,  and  all  common  fruits  in  the  United  States.  T-iVery 
thing  produces  well.  For  some  days  our  time  was  divided  between  visits 
on  the  farm,  to  the  mills,  the  herds,  the  dairy,  the  stores,  the  ship>  jjort,  the 
school,  <kc.  It  of  course  gave  us  great  satisfaction  to  witness  these  fruits  of 
civilization,  which  we  supposed  our  eyes  had  looked  upon  for  the  last  time 
when  we  passed  the  frontier  line  of  our  own  land.  Dr.  McLaughlin's  farm 
is  the  largest  on  the  Columbia  river,  and  produced  last  year  4,500  bushels 
of  wheat,  4,000  of  peas,  1 ,700  of  barley ,  1,500  of  oats,  potatoes  not  gathered, 
corn  but  little.  His  horned  cattle  750,  swine  400,  with  from  200  to  300 
horses.    He  has  a  saw  mill  and  a  flouring  mill." 


'I 

i 


[470] 


18 


i  I 


II: 


Such,  from  a  united  stream  of  testimony,  is  the  softness  of  this  climnte 
that  it  may  almost  be  considered  tropical.  The  country  trom  the  ocean 
ascends  by  regular  terraces  or  plateaus,  to  the  summits  of  the  Rocliy  moun- 
tains, and  presents  every  variety  of  soil,  which  will  be  found  adapted  to  every 
variety  of  culture,  and  is  watered  by  the  noble  Columbia  and  its  numerous 
tributaries ;  and,  at  some  not  far  distant  day,  will  be  found  the  theatre  of 
man's  grandest  and  happiest  efforts. 

Lewis  and  Clarke,  in  describing  the  immediate  valley  of  the  Columbia 
river,  say  :  "  This  valley  is  bounded  westward  by  the  mountainous  cr untry 
bordering  the  coast,  from  which  it  extends  eastward  thirty  miles  in  a  direct 
line,  till  it  is  closed  by  the  range  of  mountains  crossing  the  Columbia  above 
the  Great  Falls.  Its  length  from  norrh  to  south  we  are  unable  to  determine, 
but  we  believe  that  the  valley  must  extind  to  a  great  distance;  it  is,  in 
fact,  the  only  defiirable  situation  for  a  settlement  on  the  western  side  of  the 
Rocky  mountairs,  and,  beina:  naturally  fertile,  would,  if  properly  culti- 
vated, nffi)rd  subsistence  for  forty  or  fifty  thousand  souls.  The  highlands 
are  generally  of  a  dark,  rich  loam,  not  much  injured  by  stones,  and  though 
waving,  by  iio  means  too  steep  for  cultivation,  and  a  few  miles  from  the 
river  they  v/iden,  at  least  on  the  north  side,  into  rich,  extensive  prairies. 
The  timber  on  them  is  abundant,  and  consists  almost  exclusively  of  the 
several  species  of  fir  already  described,  and  some  of  which  grow  to  a  great 
height.  We  measured  a  fallen  tree  of  that  species,  and  found  that,  includ- 
ing a  stump  of  about  six  feet,  it  was  three  Inuidred  and  eighteen  feet  in 
length,  though  its  diameter  was  only  three  feet.  The  dog-wood  is  also 
abimdant  on  the  uplands ;  it  differs  from  that  of  the  United  States,  in  hav- 
ing a  much  smoother  bark,  and  in  being  much  larger ;  the  trunk  attaining 
a  diameter  of  nearly  two  feet.  There  is  some  wliite  cedar,  of  a  large  size/ 
but  no  pine  of  any  kind.  In  the  bottom  lands  are  the  cotion-wood,  ash, 
large  leafed  ash,  and  sweet  willow.  Interspersed  with  these  are  the  pashe- 
quaw,  shanataque,  and  compound  fern,  of  which  the  natives  use  the  roots. 
The  red  flowriiig  currant  abounds  on  the  upland,  while  along  the  river 
bot.toms  grow  luxuriantly  the  water-cress,  strawberry,  cinqnefoil,  narrow- 
dock,  sandrush,  and  the  flowring  pea,  which  is  not  yet  in  bloom.  There 
is,  also,  a  species  of  the  bear's-claw,  now  blooming,  but  the  large-leafed 
thorn  has  disappeared,  nor  do  we  see  any  longer  the  huckleberry,  the  shal- 
lum,  or  any  of  the  other  evergreen  shrubs  which  bear  berries,  except  the 
species,  the  leaf  of  which  has  a  prickly  margin." 

The  same  gentlemen  also  observe;     "'J'he  horse  is  confined  princi- 
pally to  the  nations  inhabiting  the  Great   Plains  of  Columbia,  extend- 
ing from  latitude  40°  to  50°  north,  and  occupying  the  tract  of  territory 
lymg  between  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  a  range  of  mountains  which  pass 
the  Columbia  river  about  th^  Great  Falls.    Free  tribes  possess  them  in  im- 
niQnse  numbers.    They  api^ear  to  be  of  an  excellent  race,  lofty,  elegantly 
formed,  active,  and  durable.    Many  of  them  appear  like  fine  English  cour- 
sers, and  resemble  in  fleetness  and  bottom  the  best  blooded  horses  of  Virginia. 
Tf)e  natives  suffer  them  to  run  at  large  in  the  plains,  tht  grass  of  which  af- 
for(jls  them  their  only  winter  subsistence,  their  master^  taking  no  trrtublo 
to  lay  in  a  winter  store  for  them;  notwithstanding,  they  will,  unless  much 
exercised,  fatten  on  the  dry  grass  afforded  by  the  plaiiis'duritig  the  winter. 
Whether  the  horse  was  originally  a  native  of  this  coiuitrv  or  not,  the  sofi 
and  the  climate  appear  to  be  perfectly  well  adapted  to  tile  nattire  of  this 
animal.    Horses  are  said  to  be  found  wild  in  many  parts  of  this  extensive 


I 


19 


[«0] 


mnte 
kcean 
wun- 
pvery 
jroiis 
ire  of 

Imbia 

jintry 
lirect 
hove 
line. 


country.  An  elegant  horso  may  be  pnrcliased  of  the  natives  for  a  few  beads 
or  other  i)altry  trinkets,  wiiich,  in  the  United  States,  would  not  cost  more 
than  one  or  two  dollars.  The  abnndance  and  cheapness  of  horses  will  be 
extremely  advantageous  to  those  who  may  hereafter  attempt  the  fur  trade 
to  the  East  Indies,  by  way  of  Columbia  river,  and  the  Pacific  ocean." 

Wild  sheep  are  also  found  in  this  region,  and  on  the  coast :  Lewis  and 
Clarke  say,  "  The  sheep  is  found  in  many  places,  but  mostly  in  the  timbered 
parts  of  the  Rocky  mountains.  They  live  in  greater  numbers  on  the  chain 
of  mountains  forming  the  commencement  ol  the  woody  (  Muitry  on  the 
coast.  We  have  seen  only  the  skins  of  these  animals,  which  the  natives 
dress  witli  the  wool,  and  the  blankets  which  they  manufacture  from  the 
wool.  The  animal,  from  this  evidence,  appears  to  be  of  the  size  of  our  com- 
mon sheep,  of  a  while  color.  The  won!  is  fine  on  many  parts  of  the  body, 
but,  in  length,  not  equal  to  thai  of  our  domestic  sheep." 

Since  the  expedition  of  these  gentlemen,  several  districts  have  been  dis- 
covered, of  boundless  fertility,  alony:  the  coast,  as  well  as  inland,  and  it  can 
now  be  said,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  it  will  prove  the  fine-^t  graz- 
ing country  in  the  world  ;  greatly  superior,  in  every  respect,  to  Mexico  or  to 
the  plains  and  pa^Tipasof  South  America. 

In  conclusion,  the  committee  would  remark,  that  the  title  of  the  United 
States  to  the  Territory  of  Oregon  is,  in  their  opinion,  beyond  doubt;  that 
its  possession  is  important  in  our  commercial  and  Indian  relations;  that  it 
is  in  danger  of  being  lost  by  delay;  and  so  viewing  it,  they  hope  the  Execu- 
tive will  take  steps  to  bring  the  controversy  on  this  subject  with  Enffiand  to 
a  speedy  termination.  In  the  mean  time  they  have  reported  a  bill  authori- 
zing the  Presidiuit  to  employ  in  that  quaiter  such  portions  of  the  army  and 
navy  of  the  United  States  as  he  may  de^m  necessary  for  the  protection  of 
the  persons  and  property  of  those  who  may  reside  in  that  country. 

The  map  of  tlie  Territory  of  Oreg-in,  and  chart  of  the  Columbia  river, 
which  accompany  this  report,  are  believed  to  be  the  most  correct,  and  fur- 
nish the  most  recent  and  authentic  informatiju,  of  any  yet  published,  and 
were  prep.-rcd  by  0  )louel  Ai)erf,  of  the  T-jpographical  bureau,  with  rnucfi 
care  and  labor.  The  chart  was  made  by  Mr^  Slucum,  after  his  recent  visit 
to  Oregon. 


On  the  discovery  and  first  occupation  of  Columbia  river. 

I,  Charles  Bui  finch,  of  Boston,  in  the  Commonwealth  of  MassachuseKs, 
of  lavvlul  age,  testify  and  declare  that,  in  the  year  1787,  Joseph  Barrell, 
Esq.,  a  disliniriiished  merchant  of  Boston,  projected  a  voyage  of  commerce 
and  discovery  to  the  north w>^st  coast  of  America,  and  associated  with  \\'m\ 
for  that  purpose  the  following  namiid  persons,  and  in  the  following  propor- 
tions, to  wit :  SauHiel  Brown,  o;ie:eventh  part;  John  Derby,  one  seventh  ; 
Crowc'll  Hatch,  one  sevMutli;  .Tonn  M.  IMntard,  one-seventh;  and  the  depo- 
nent,ouoseveuth. reserving  to  himself  two  sevenths  ol  the  concern.  That, for 
the  purpose  of  this  voyage,  t!ie  ship  Columbia,  under  the  command  of  John 
K''ndriek,  and  the  slooj)  Washington,  cornmaudnd  l)y  Robert  Gray,  were 
equipped,  provided  with  .suitable  cargoes  for  traflie  with  the  natives  of  the 
northwest  coast.  That  so  reinarkai)le  was  the  t'X[)i'diiiou  considered,  it 
being  th  •  first  atte.npt  from  the  Umted  States  to  circutnuavigale  thi!  glol^e, 
that  medals  were  slruck,  both  in  silver  and  copper,  bearing  on  one  side  the 


[470] 


20 


\i 


M 


representation  of  the  two  vessels,  rind  on  the  other  the  names  of  the  owners. 
Very  particular  sailing  ordtrs  were  agreed  to,  and  signed  l^y  IVlr.  Barrell,  as 
agent  for  the  owners,  and  by  the  captains,  officers,  and  seamen  of  both 
vessels,  in  which  the  course  of  the  voyage  and  the  traffic  with  tlie  natives 
were  pointed  out ;  and  it  was  specially  provided  that  all  transactions  of 
business  should  he  on  the  sole  account  of  the  owners.  Mr.  J.  Howell,  a 
very  intelligent  Englishman,  went  as  clerk  to  Captain  Kendrick.  These 
vessels  left  Boston  in  the  autumn  of  1787.  After  long  delay,  they  reached 
Noolka  sound,  and  proceeded  to  traffic  with  the  natives  for  furs  ;  and  when 
a  sufficient  quantity  had  been  collected.  Captain  Kendrick  put  Captain 
Gray  in  command  ot'  the  ship  Columbia,  to  proceed  with  the  cargo  of  furs 
for  Canton,  while  he  remained  on  the  coast,  with  the  sloop  Washington,  to 
make  further  collections  of  furs.  Captain  Gray  proceeded  to  Canton,  made 
sale  of  his  furs,  and  purchased  a  cargo  of  teas,  with  which  he  returned  to 
Boston.  The  result  of  the  voyage  disappointed  the  expectations  of  its 
projectors,  the  proceeds  of  the  teas  not  being  equal  to  the  cost  of  outfit  and 
the  unforeseen  expenses  in  Canton  and  elsewhere  ;  so  that  Messrs.  Derby 
and  Pintard  would  not  pursue  the  enterprise  further,  but  sold  their  shares 
in  the  vessels  to  Messrs.  Barrell  and  Brown.  They,  with  the  other  owners, 
determined  to  send  Captain  Gray,  in  command  of  the  Columbia,  to  the 
coast  for  the  furs  which,  it  was  supposed,  Captain  Kendrick  had  been  col- 
lecting. In  this  ship,  Mr.  John  Hoskins,  a  young  man  who  had  been  in 
Mr.  Barren's  counting  room,  and  who  was  in  his  confidence,  was  sent  as 
captain's  clerk,  with  the  design  of  attending  to  sales  and  purchases.  Captain 
Gray  proceeded  to  the  northwest  coast,  and  on  the  7th  of  May,  1792.  came 
in  sight  of  land,  in  latitude  4G°  58',  and  anchored  in,  what  lie  named.  Bui- 
finch's  harbor.  On  the  11th,  he  entered  the  mouth  of  a  large  river,aiid  on  the 
14th,  sailed  up  the  same  about  fifteen  milfs.  This  river  he  named  Lohnnbia, 
after  the  name  of  his  ship;  the  north  side  of  the  entrance,  Ca])e  Hancnckj 
and  the  soulh  side,  7^0?/// Jlrf«w7.9.  Captain  Gray  remained  in  this  river 
until  the  morning  of  the  21st  May.  The  knowledge  of  these  facts  was 
obtained  as  follows:  After  Captain  Gray  had  made  a  second  voyage  to 
Canton,  he  returned  to  Boston  with  a  cargo  of  teas.  It  was  determine  d  by 
the  owners  to  prosecute  the  voyage  no  further  with  the  ship,  In  i  to  leave 
Captain  Kendrick,  in  the  sloop  Washington,  to  attend  to  their  interests  on 
the  coast.  Intelligence  was  obtained  from  Captain  Gray  of  the  discovery 
of  Columbia  river;  but  nothing  was  done  in  consequence  of  it  until  1816, 
when  Samuel  Brown,  FiSq.,  the  principal  livnig  owner,  after  the  death  of 
Joseph  Barrell,  Esq.,  requested  the  deponent  to  inake  inquiry  after  Captain 
Gray's  papers,  and  to  take  correct  copies  of  all  proceedings  relative  thereto; 
and  this  was  done  in  consequence  of  President  Madison's  application  to 
Iiim  for  information.  The  deponent  accordingly  applied  to  the  friends  of 
the  widow  of  Captain  Gray;  and,  after  some  lime  spent  in  the  search, 
obtained  from  Mr.  Silas  Atkins,  a  brother  of  the  widow  Gray,  the  oriirinal 
log-book  of  the  ship  Columbia,  while  u»)der  the  command  of  Captain  Gray, 
from  which  he  made  the  following:  extract: 

From  the  Log-Book  of  the  ship  Colmiibia,  Robert  Cray,  tnastcr,  1792. 

May  7,  1792,  A.  i\i.— Btiing  within  six   miles  of  the  land,  saw  ni 
tranc"'.  in  tlu^.same,  which  had  a  very  good  appearance  of  a  harbor  ;  lower- 
ed away  the  jolly  boat,  and  went  in  search  of  an  anchoring  place,  the  ship 


\ 


21 


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lei  I,  as 

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standing  to  and  fro,  with  a  very  strong  "feather  current.  At  1  p.  m.,  the 
boat  returned,  having  found  no  place  whe.  ■  the  ship  could  anchor  with 
safety ;  made  sail  on  the  ship — stood  in  fo.  the  sliore.  We  soon  saw,  from 
our  mast  head,  a  passage  in  between  the  sand  bars.  At  half  past  3,  bore 
away,  and  run  in  northeast  by  east,  having  from  four  to  eight  fathoms, 
sandy  bottom  ;  and,  as  we  drew  in  nearer  between  the  bars,  had  from  ten 
to  thirteen  fathoms,  havin^  a  very  strong  tide  of  ebb  to  stem.  Many  ca- 
noes came  alongside.  At  5  p.m.,  came  to  in  five  fathoms  water,  sandy  bot- 
tom, in  a  safe  harbor,  well  sheltered  from  the  sea  by  long  sand  bars  and 
spits.     Oiir  latitude  observed,  this  day,  was  46°  .58'  north. 

May  10. — Fresh  breezes,  and  pleasant  weather ;  many  natives  along 
side ;  at  noon,  all  the  canoes  left  us.  At  1  p.  m.,  began  to  unmoor,  took  up 
the  best  bower  anchor,  and  hove  short  on  the  small  bower  anchor.  At 
half  past  4,  being  high  water,  hove  up  the  anchor,  and  came  to  sail  and  a 
beating  down  the  harbor. 

May  11. — At  half-past  7,  we  were  out  clear  of  the  bars,  and  directed  our 
course  to  the  southward,  along  shore.  At  8  p.  m.,  the  entrance  of  Bulfinch's 
harbor  bore  north,  distance  four  miles,  the  southern  extremity  of  the  land 
bore  south  southeast  half  east,  and  the  northern  north-northwest — sent  up 
the  maintop  gallant-yfird  and  set  all  sail.  At  4  a.  m.,  saw  the  entrance  of 
our  desired  port  bearing  east-southeast,  distance  six  leagues ;  in  steering 
sails,  and  hauled  our  wind  in  shore.  At  8  a.  m.,  being  a  little  to  windward 
of  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  bore  away,  and  run  in  east  northeast,  be- 
tween the  breakers,  having  from  live  to  seven  fathoms  of  water.  When  we 
were  over  the  bar,  we  found  this  to  be  a  large  rivv .  o{  fresh  water,  up  which 
we  steered.  Many  canoes  came  along  side.  At  1  p.  m.,  came  to  with  the 
small  bower,  in  ten  fathoms,  black  and  white  sand  ;  the  entrance  between 
the  bars  bore  west  southwest,  distant  ten  miles.  The  north  side  of  the 
river,  a  half  mile  distant  from  the  ship;  the  south  side  of  the  same  two  and 
a  half  miles  distance  ;  a  village  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  west  by  north, 
distant  three  quarters  of  a  mile.  Vast  numbers  of  natives  came  along  side — 
people  employed  in  pumping  the  salt  water  ont  of  our  water  ca.^lis,  in  order 
to  fill  with  fresh,  while  the  ship  floated  in.     So  ends. 

May  12. — Many  natives  along  side  ;  noon,  fresh  wind  ;  let  go  the  best 
bower  anchor  and  veered  out  on  both  cables.  Sent  down  the  maintop  gal- 
lant-yard, filled  up  all  the  water  casks  in  the  hold.  The  latter  part,  heavy 
gales,  and  rainy,  dirty  weather. 

May  \3. — Fresh  winds,  and  rainy  w^eather,  many  natives  along  side. 
Hove  up  the  best  bower  anchor.  Seamen  and  tradesmen  at  their  various 
departments. 

A'lttt/  14. — Fresh  gales  and  cloudy;  many  natives  along  side;  at  noon, 
weighed  and  came  to  sail,  standing  up  the  river  liOrlheast  by  east ;  we  found 
the  channel  very  narrow.  At  4  p.  m.,  we  had  sailed  upwards  of  twelve  or 
fifteen  miles,  when  the  channel  was  so  very  narrow  that  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  keep  in  it,  having  from  three  to  eighteen  fathoms  water,  sandy 
bottom  ;  at  half  past  four,  the  ship  took  ground  :  but  she  did  not  stny  long 
before  she  canie  ofT",  without  any  assistance.  We  backed  liercfT,  stern  fore- 
most, into  three  f.itlionis,  and  let  go  the  small  bower,  and  moored  ship  with 
kcdge  t\m]  hawser.  The  jolly  boat  was  sent  to  sound  the  chaimel  ont,  but 
found  it  not  navigiible  any  further  up;  so,  of  course,  we  must  have  taken 
the  wrong  channel.    So  ends,  with  rainy  weather,  many  natives  along  side. 


\l 


[470] 


32 


Tuesday,  May  15. — Light  airs  and  pleasant  weather  ;  many  natives 
from  difF.3rent  tribes  came  alongside.  At  10  a.  m.,  unmoored  and  dropped 
down  with  the  tide  to  a  better  anchoring  place.  Smiths  and  other  trades- 
men constantly  employed.  In  the  afternoon,  Captain  Gray  and  Mr.  Hos- 
kins,  in  the  jolly  boat,  went  on  shore  to  take  a  short  view  of  the  country. 

May  16. — Light  airs  and  cloudy;  at  4  a.  m.,  hove  up  the  anchor  and 
t6wed  down  about  three  miles,  with  the  last  of  the  ebb  tide ;  ca.iie  into  six 
fathoms,  sandy  bottom,  the  jolly  boat  sounding  the  chanuel.  At  10  a.  m., 
a  fresh  breeze  came  up  river.  With  the  first  of  the  ebb  tide  we  got  under 
way  and  beat  down  river.  At  1,  from  its  being  very  squally,  we  came  to, 
about  two  miles  from  the  village,  Chinou/c,  which  bore  west-southwest. 
Many  natives  alongside  ;  fresh  gales  and  squally. 

May  17. — Fresh  winds  and  squally  ;  many  canoes  alongside.  Caulkers 
caulking  the  pinnace;  seamen  paying  the  ship's  sides  with  tar;  painter 
painting  ship ;  smiths  and  carpenters  at  their  departments. 

May  18. — Pleasant  weather ;  at  4  in  the  morning  began  to  heave  ahead  ; 
at  ^  past  came  to  sail,  standing  down  river  with  the  ebb  tide  ;  at  7,  being 
slack  water  and  the  wind  fluttering,  we  came  to  in  5  fathoms,  sandy  bot- 
tom ;  the  entrance  between  the  bars  bore  southwest  by  west,  distance  three 
miles.  The  north  point  of  the  harbor  bore  northwest,  distant  two  miles; 
the  south  bore  southeast,  distant  three  and  a  half  miles.  At  9,  a  breeze 
sprang  up  from  the  eastward  ;  took  up  the  anchor  and  came  to  sail,  but 
the  wind  soon  came  fluttering  again.  Came  to  with  tlie  kedge  and  haw- 
ser, veered  out  fifty  fathoms.  Noon  pleasant.  Latitude  observed  46"  17' 
north.  At  1,  came  to  sail  with  the  first  of  the  ebb  tide,  and  drifted 
down  broadside,  with  light  airs  and  strong  tide  ;  at  three-quarters  past,'^  a 
fresh  wind  came  fronj  the  northward ;  wore  ship  and  stood  into  the 
river  again.  At  4  came  to  in  six  fathoms  ;  good  holding  ground,  about 
six  or  seven  miles  up  ;  many  canoes  along  side. 

May  19. — Fresh  wind  and  clear  weather.  Early  a  '  ruber  of  canoes 
came  alongside  ;  seamen  and  tradesmen  employed  in  their  various  depart- 
ments. 

Captain  Gray  gave  this  river  the  name  of  Columhin.s  river,  and  the 
north  side  of  the  entrance  Cupe  Hancock ;  the  south,  Adaniti's  point. 

May  20. — Gentle  breezes  and  pleasant  weather.  At  1  p.  m.,  being  full 
sea,  took  up  the  anchor  and  made  sail,  standing  down  river.  At  2,  ttie 
wind  left  us,  we  being  on  the  bar  with  a  very  strong  tide,  which  set  on 
the  breakers;  it  was  now  not  possible  to  get  out  without  a  breeze  to  shoot 
her  across  the  tide ;  so  we  were  obliged  to  bring  up  in  3^  fathoms,  the 
tide  running  5  knots.  At  three-quarters  past  2,  afresh  wind  came  in  from 
seaboard  ;^we  immediately  came  to  sail  arid  beat  over  the  bar,  having 
from  6  to  7  fathoms  water  in  the  channel.  At  5  i>.  m.,  we  were  out,  clear 
of  all  the  bars,  and  in  20  fathoms  water.  A  breezv^  came  from  the  south- 
ward ;  we  bore  away  to  the  northward  ;  set  all  sail  to  the  best  advantage. 
At  8,  Cape  Hancock  bore  southeast,  distant  three  leagues  ;  the  north  ex- 
tremity of  the  land  in  sight  bore  north  by  west.  At  9,  in  steering  and  top 
gallant  sails.     Midnight,  light  airs. 

May  21.— At  6  a.  m.,  the  nearest  land  in  sight  bore  east-southeast,  dis- 
tant eight  leagues.  At  7,  set  top  gallant  sails  and  litrht  stay  s;\ils.  At  1 1, 
set  steering  sails  fore  and  aft.  iNoon,  pleasant  agreeable  weaiher.  Tiie 
entrance  oi  BulfmdCs  harbjr  boro  southeast  by  east  half  east,  dislaut  five 
leagues. 


23 


t  4T0  ] 


Ikers 
Inter 

bad ; 


The  deponent  hereby  certifies  that  the  above  extract  contains  every  thing 
relating  to  the  discovery  of  Columbia  river,  which  was  contained  in  the 
log  book  kept  by  Captain  Gray,  on  board  the  ship  Cohtmbia. 

And  the  deponent  further  certifies,  that  in  the  month  oi  September,  in 
the  past  year,  1837,  he  was  applied  to  by Slaciun,  Esq.,  of  Alex- 
andria, in  the  District  of  Colnmbia,  for  rny  infornriaiion  which  he  might 
possess  on  this  subject ;  that  he  exhibited  to  Mr.  Slacum  such  pt;pers  and 
documents  relating  to  the  subject  as  were  in  his  possession,  and  referred 
him  to  the  widow  of  Captain  Gray,  or  to  her  descendants,  for  the  original 
log-book  before  mentioned  ;  that  in  consequence  jf  this,  Mr.  Slacnm  em- 
ployed Thomas  Bnlfinch,  a  son  of  the  deponent,  to  make  inquiry  and 
search  for  said  original  log  book  ;  that  said  Thomas  Bulfinch  accordingly 
made  such  inquiry,  and  found  that  Capt.  Silas  Atkins  and  Mrs.  Gray,  widow 
of  Captain  Robert  Gray,  had  both  departed  this  life  several  years  since ; 
that  there  were  no  surviving  immediate  descendants  of  Captain  Gray,  but 
that  Mrs.  Nash,  a  niece  of  Mrs.  Gray,  was  probably  possessed  of  all  the 
papers  that  related  to  his  command  of  the  Columbia.  Thomas  Bulfinch 
then  applied  to  Mrs.  Nash,  who  very  readily  handed  to  him  one  log-book  of 
the  ship  Columbia,  containing  minutes  of  her  voyage  from  Boston  to  the 
straights  of  Johnde  F'uca,  in  1791,  but  stated  that  another  log-book,  which 
contained  the  proceedings  at  Columbia  river  in  1792,  had  been  used  as 
waste  paper,  and  was  entirely  destroyed.  Upon  hearing  this,  the  depo- 
nent determined  to  draw  up  a  statement,  in  jyerpetnam  rd  mevwriam^ 
of  all  the  evidence  now  to  be  obtained  of  the  discovery  of  said  Columbia 
river,  he  being  the  only  survivor  of  the  original  undertakers  of  the  enter- 
prise, and  having  outlived,  at  the  age  of  75,  all  who,  as  officers  or  seamen, 
were  engaged  in  the  operations  of  the  Columbia  and  Washington  ;  which 
statement  may.  in  future,  be  important  in  determining  the  right  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  to  the  honor  of  discovering  the  river,  and,  consequently,  to  the 
right  of  jurisdiction  over  the  country  adjacent. 

CHARLES  BULFINCH. 

United  States,       ) 
Massachusells  District.  ) 

Then  Charles  Bulfinch,  Esq.,  of  the  city  of  Boston,  personally  appeared 
and  made  oath  to  the  truth  of  the  within  declaration,  (by  him  written  and 
subscribed,)  so  far  as  relates  to  particulars  stated  as  within  his  own  know- 
ledge, and  in  regard  to  all  other  facts  and  circumstances  therein  expressed, 
that  he  believes  the  same  to  be  true. 
Before  me, 

JOHN  DAVIS, 
Judge  of  U,  S.  District  Courts  Mass.  District. 
Boston,  ilpn/ 21,  1838. 


